The shadow of the US East Terminal strike is hanging over the shipping industry, resulting in an increase in container rates for scheduled shipments in January 2025. For companies that do not want to accept the price increase, they can only queue for empty shipping space and new shipping dates. Logistics practitioners expect a further increase of $1,500, or 30%, for the Far East to the West, and an increase of $1,000, or 15%, for the Far East to the East.

According to the latest freight information, the price per FEU (40 feet container) from the Far East to the West of America is 4581 US dollars, an increase of 9.1%; The price per FEU from the Far East to the Eastern United States increased by 7.7 percent to $6,074. In addition, in addition to rising freight rates, major shipping companies are also developing strategies for a possible strike in the eastern United States.

Shipping companies such as Yangming have announced port congestion surcharges on U.S.-East routes in the event of a strike. At present, the price quoted to customers from January 1 to 14 has risen again, the price per 40 feet container of the Far East to the West of the United States has reached 5,950 to 6,100 US dollars, compared with the latest week's freight rate, an increase of 30%; The price of each 40-foot cabinet from the Far East to the Eastern United States reached 6,950 to 7,100 US dollars, an increase of more than 15%.

Logistics industry insiders pointed out that the Far East to North America route prices are not only now rising every week, but will continue to rise in January. If there is a strike, the impact will be more severe, but it is impossible to predict the exact consequences.

At present, the price of the North American line is for reference only, you can receive the goods, but the specific price is subject to the "warehousing date". Starting in January, prices will be adjusted. Therefore, customers who do not accept the price increase can only wait if they do not schedule the shipment date, unless they are willing to accept the price increase in January, they can not ship in advance.

All price increases on the North American line need to be reported one month in advance. Yangming has recently taken the lead in announcing that in order to cope with future market changes, once it is determined that the strike or slowdown of the United States East Terminal from January 16, 2025, the port congestion surcharge will be levied at $800 per 20 feet container and $1,000 per 40 feet container. It is understood that other shipping companies such as Evergreen and Wanhai will also put forward their own coping strategies in response to the strike.

In addition, the European route is still facing a tight ship scheduling situation in the first ten days of January, and there are many blank flights in the first half of the month, resulting in a relatively tight space. The shipping company has said that the shipping space of this shipment is full, and the customers who are willing to wait for shipping space can accept this price, and the price remains between 4900 and 5100 US dollars per 40 feet container.

Insiders in the logistics industry said that the Red Sea crisis caused by tensions in the Middle East in mid-October 2023 has reversed the supply and demand relationship of the consolidation industry, and the global supply of ships has changed from oversupply to undersupply. As a result, freight rates in 2024 are better than expected in 2023. And in the spring of 2025, the market demand has increased, and the interference of various factors, the market heat seems to continue.