A freight rate war may have erupted on Asia-Europe routes, with spot rates (e.g., Shanghai-Rotterdam down 11% to $1,910/FEU) falling despite capacity cuts. Trans-Pacific rally stalls, with SCFI showing sharp declines.

Sea-Intelligence reports global empty container transport hits 41% (vs 3.1/10 pre-2019). Ports like LA/Long Beach and Chittagong face backlogs; distribution imbalance worsens.

Italy will hold strikes on Sept 19 (CGIL) and 22 (Cub/Adl/Sgb) 2025. Ports, rail (suspended 21-22 Sept), and logistics face delays. Kuehne+Nagel has issued warnings.

China launches Wenzhou-Middle East maritime route: The ro-ro ship "Forest Glory" with 400 BYD NEVs sails to Dubai. It cuts loading time, boosts Zhejiang-Fujian auto exports.

Recently, the latest Shanghai Export Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) released by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange stood at 1,398.11 points, a 3.2% decrease from the previous period.The China export container shipping market remained generally stable. Although freight rates on the U.S. routes rose,

Poland closed Belarus borders, disrupting China-Europe Railway Express—300 trains stranded. STU Supply Chain offers emergency air (5-7 days) & sea freight to Europe, solving supply chain gaps amid uncertainty.

COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers launches China’s first direct breakbulk route (Zhangjiagang-Callao) to West South America. It cuts voyage by 5 days, boosts trade, and supports Belt and Road & Yangtze River Delta integration.

Maersk adds 100,000 TEU to intra-Asia routes (Hapag-Lloyd up 97% YoY) via Gemini Alliance. Intra-Asia cargo demand/freight rates rise; analysts see 80M TEU in 10 years, but competition intensifies.

U.S. ports are suddenly quiet due to Trump’s extra fees on Chinese ships—backfiring as China adjusts routes & imposes 78.2% tariffs on U.S. optical fibers. The U.S. faces port slumps, supply chain chaos; openness beats protectionism.

The latest SCFI is flat at 1,444.44. US West Coast rates rise 13.8% (sailing cuts work), Europe-Med falls 11.2%/8.1%. Other routes mix; forwarders/shippers should plan shipments with latest rates/sailings.