Carriers return to Suez as container spot rates rise and blankings mount

· Shipping

Container shipping is shifting on several fronts. MSC and Zim have returned to the Suez route for a joint Asia-US East Coast service, moving away from the longer routing around southern Africa — part of the ongoing gradual return of Far East services to the shorter Suez passage. Spot freight rates on all three of the largest east-west trades — Asia-Europe, transpacific and transatlantic — were rising this week, with Asia-Europe posting a second consecutive weekly increase after three months of post-peak declines, according to Drewry's World Container Index. Carriers are opting for more blanked sailings to bolster rates. Not all lanes are tightening, however: spot rates from India to the US East Coast have dropped by up to $3,000 per FEU over the past two to three weeks as booking activity slowed.

Why it matters：The return to Suez and renewed blank sailings show carriers testing whether rate discipline can hold as route capacity comes back, a balance that determines profitability across the container trades.

Key points

  • MSC and Zim moved their joint Asia-USEC service back to the Suez route
  • Spot rates rose on Asia-Europe, transpacific and transatlantic lanes this week
  • India-USEC spot rates fell up to $3,000 per FEU in two to three weeks

Sources (original reporting)

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