July 9th, 2026 – Spot container rates on the Asia-Europe trade lanes continue to surge heading into July as peak season demand, persistent port congestion, and strong vessel utilization push shipping costs sharply higher. Although carriers have reduced the number of blank sailings over the past two months, increased cargo volumes and operational bottlenecks are keeping upward pressure on rates.
Since early May, spot rates have more than doubled on the Asia-Mediterranean trade and nearly tripled on the Asia-North Europe route. Shipping costs from China to Northern Europe have climbed from roughly $1,500 per FEU to more than $5,000 within a month, driven by stronger demand and tightening space availability.
Shippers are also facing reduced contract allocations. As volumes accelerated, several ocean carriers cut long-term contract space with little notice, forcing more cargo into the higher-priced spot market and adding further pressure to freight costs.
Carriers are continuing to implement rate increases throughout July. Following general rate increases that took effect July 1st, several lines announced additional Freight All Kinds (FAK) increases effective July 15th, while others introduced or expanded peak season surcharges.
Beginning July 15th, MSC plans to charge $7,700 per FEU on Asia-North Europe and Asia-West Mediterranean services, with Asia-East Mediterranean rates set at $7,600 per FEU. CMA CGM’s July 15th FAK rates will reach $7,000 per FEU for North Europe, $7,900 per FEU for West Mediterranean, and $8,500 per FEU for East Mediterranean shipments.
Market pricing continues to trend upward. According to Platts, Asia-North Europe spot rates increased another $800 during the week ending July 3rd to approximately $5,800 per FEU, while Asia-Mediterranean rates climbed by the same amount to roughly $7,000 per FEU. Xeneta’s weekly assessments similarly showed both trade lanes posting approximately 15% week-over-week gains.
While pricing remains elevated, some market analysts expect the pace of increases to slow later in July. Demand is anticipated to remain healthy through the third quarter as retailers continue shipping inventory for Black Friday and holiday sales, but the market could begin easing once the initial peak season rush subsides.
The strong market is reflected in carrier capacity deployment. Ocean carriers are operating record vessel capacity on both major Europe trade lanes to accommodate higher shipment volumes.
According to Xeneta’s eeSea platform, capacity between Asia and North Europe is expected to reach approximately 1.25 million TEUs in July, up from about 986,000 TEUs in June. At the same time, blank sailings are projected to fall from 95,000 TEUs to 65,000 TEUs.
The Asia-Mediterranean trade is experiencing a similar trend, with deployed capacity increasing to a record 850,000 TEUs in July compared to 770,000 TEUs in June. Blank sailings are expected to decline significantly, dropping from 49,000 TEUs in June to just 14,000 TEUs this month.
Despite the additional capacity, operational challenges continue to limit supply chain efficiency. Severe weather in parts of China, vessel bunching, and longer cargo dwell times are contributing to congestion across major Asian export ports. Those delays are carrying through to Europe, where major gateway ports continue to experience congestion that extends into inland transportation networks.
At the Port of Rotterdam, inconsistent vessel schedules are creating significant challenges for barge, rail, and truck operations. Large container ships often receive docking priority, making it more difficult for barges to maintain reliable schedules. As schedule reliability declines, more cargo shifts to trucks, further increasing road congestion around the port.
Industry reports indicate that delays persist at the Port of Rotterdam, particularly for trucking operations where appointment availability remains limited.
With peak season demand expected to continue through much of the third quarter, elevated freight rates and operational congestion are likely to remain key concerns for importers shipping cargo between Asia and Europe.
