What’s happening in December?
Report overview
Asia: Trump’s policies to reshape Asian supply chains in 2025
Donald Trump’s return to the White House is set to bring substantial changes to Asian trade dynamics in 2025. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand are well-positioned to receive increased investment as companies seek to reduce reliance on China. However, Asian countries also face significant risks. Blanket tariffs on key exports such as electronics, apparel, and automotive parts could disrupt trade flows.
Our data reveals that the average container leasing rate for a 40ft high cube container from Shanghai to New York was $710 in December, while the rate from Shanghai to Los Angeles reached $650. Leasing rates dropped slightly by 1.5% compared to the previous month.
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The US: Automation dispute threatens US ports as January deadline nears
Labor unrest at US ports continues to be a pressing concern as negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) face significant challenges. The stakes in 2025 are particularly high as any strike action would coincide with peak pre-Chinese New Year shipping volumes.
Some exporters from China, Canada, and Mexico are expediting shipments to the US in anticipation of potential tariff increases under new trade policies proposed by Donald Trump.
As of December 2024, the average price of a cargo-worthy 40ft container on the US West Coast is $1,685, while prices are lower on the US East Coast, averaging $1,350.
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Europe: What 2025’s new alliances mean for shippers
New shipping alliances, set to launch in early 2025, are expected to bring significant changes for shippers. February and March may see short-term disruptions as the market adjusts to the changes. Beyond cost and transit times, factors such as route reliability, alliance stability, and risk exposure will play a critical role in decision-making for shippers as they choose the right alliance.
As of December 2024, the average price for a cargo-worthy 40ft container at European ports is $1,106, with the highest prices in Bremen and the lowest in Antwerp.
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The ISC and ME: Suez Canal disruptions continue to impact shipping in 2025
Global shipping is expected to face persistent disruptions in 2025, driven by continued Suez Canal diversions. The canal, which facilitates 12% of global trade, remains far from resuming normal operations and thus, a continued lack of container traffic in the Red Sea remains a plausible scenario for 2025.
As of December 2024, the average price of a cargo-worthy 40ft container in India is $1,740, reflecting a slight decrease from $1,905 in November.
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Where does the data for our monthly reports come from?
For our monthly ‘Where are all the containers’ reports, we leverage the data from the transactions taking place on our xChange marketplace + third-party analyses and industry news to bring you:
xChange Insights
Insights gives you real-time market prices in 60 locations. It helps define the best locations and time trading containers, gives you price changes, and analysis of the current trends.
Container Availability
The CAx is a tool for monitoring the import and export moves of full containers. In this report, we show CAx trends for 40 DC (of which 55% are 40 HC; the most popular container for freight use).
Container Leasing Rates
We analyze pick-up charges only for popular stretches that we can account for, like China to the US, Europe to China; and more.
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