What’s happening in January?
Report overview
Asia: Shipowners pivot to smaller vessels as trade patterns evolve
The rerouting of manufacturing options from China to other Asian ports, driven by shifts in US trade policies, is prompting shipowners to favor smaller vessels over ultra-large container ships.
In 2025, only six container ships with capacities exceeding 17,000 TEUs are scheduled for delivery, a sharp decline from the 17 such vessels delivered in 2020.
The average container leasing rate for a 40ft high cube container from Shanghai to New York was $750 in January 2025, while the rate from Shanghai to Los Angeles reached $970.
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The US: Tentative six-year deal ends threat of US port strike
A major labor strike at ports along the US East and Gulf Coasts has been narrowly averted following a tentative six-year agreement between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).
As of January 2025, the average price of a cargo-worthy 40ft container on the US West Coast is $1,300, while prices are higher on the US East Coast, averaging $1,550.
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Europe: Greener fuels and rising costs – Navigating the FuelEU regulation
The FuelEU Maritime Regulation, taking full effect on January 1, 2025. Experts believe that switching to biofuel-blended bunker fuels and liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be among the most popular compliance options.
The average price for a cargo-worthy 40ft container at European ports is $1,030, with the highest prices in Bremen and the lowest in Antwerp.
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The ISC and ME: India unveils Kandla Port expansion to boost trade and shipbuilding
India is ramping up investment in its port infrastructure to support growing trade volumes and economic expansion. The government has announced a $7 billion investment program for Kandla Port, a key cargo hub on the country’s west coast.
The average price of a cargo-worthy 20ft container in India is $966, reflecting a slight decrease from $1,010 in December.
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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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