World Container Index: Drewry assessment on Thursday, 3 August 2017

• The composite index is up by 13.1% this week and up by 13% from the same period of 2016.
• The average composite index of the WCI, assessed by Drewry for year-to-date, is US $1,543/40ft container, which is $115 lower than the five-year average of $1,658/40ft container. It is also 13% higher than a year ago.
• The 1 August GRIs lifted the head-haul rates on both the Asia-Europe and Transpacific trades this week. Rates on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route are up by $116 to reach $1,801 for a 40ft box. Similarly, the rates from Shanghai to New York surged by $517 to reach $2,696 for a 40ft box, and rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles spiked to $1,676 – a change of $458 from last week. The peak season is yet to arrive on the Transpacific trade, and rates are expected to drop next week. However, the Asia-Europe spot market will be less volatile.

View our latest freight rate assessments on eight major East-West trades:

Spot freight rates by route – assessed by Drewry