Trans-Pacific shipping rates are rising ahead of the peak season.

Tensions in the Middle East continue to impact global freight markets, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed and instability persisting in the region.

In container shipping, freight rates are rising as supply struggles to meet demand as the peak season approaches. Rising fuel costs and the management of shipping capacity by carriers continue to impact prices on major trade routes.

Container freight rates between Asia and Europe have remained relatively stable since the start of the conflict, although rising fuel costs may have prevented price reductions during the lower-demand months of March and April.
European importers have also shifted their peak season orders forward due to longer shipping times resulting from diversions away from the Red Sea. Containers shipped after mid-October may not arrive in time for the holiday season due to the extended shipping routes.

In mid-May 2026, freight rates from Asia to Northern Europe were around $2,800/FEU, while rates to the Mediterranean were around $3,600/FEU. Daily rates began to rise this week, partly in line with broader efforts to increase rates in mid-May 2026. Some carriers are aiming to increase rates by around $2,000/FEU by June 2026 from current levels, although market observers remain uncertain whether these increases will be sustainable.

Trans-Pacific container shipping rates have increased by approximately $1,000/FEU since the start of the conflict. Last week's rates were around $2,800/FEU to the US West Coast and $4,300/FEU to the East Coast. Daily rates have also begun to rise following price increases earlier this month.

In air transport, cargo flows from the Middle East partially recovered in April after a sharp decline in March and continued to improve in May 2026, although volumes remained below pre-conflict levels.

Increased transport capacity from Gulf airlines is supporting the recovery, with some Asian-European cargo volumes shifting back to Gulf transit routes as services resume.

Data from the Freightos Air Index shows that freight rates from China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia to Europe remain at least 50% higher than pre-conflict levels, although rates on these routes have stabilized or surpassed peaks in recent weeks.

Shipping rates from Southeast Asia to the Middle East exceeded $4.75/kg last week and continued to rise this week. Rates from South Asia to the Middle East have increased to over $4.00/kg, compared to around $2.70/kg a month earlier.

Meanwhile, France imposed a 2-euro parcel fee on low-value e-commerce imports ahead of the European Union's planned broader implementation in July. This measure is believed to have caused some goods to be diverted to neighboring countries to avoid the incurred costs.

Source: Translated from the original link, Container News