Drewry’s World Container Index decreased 3% to $2,091 per 40ft container this week.

• The Drewry WCI composite index decreased 3% to $2,091 per 40ft csontainer, 80% below the previous pandemic peak of $10,377 in September 2021. However, the index was 47% higher than the average $1,420 in 2019 (pre-pandemic).

Our detailed assessment for Thursday, 01 May 2025

• The average YTD composite index closed at $2,811 per 40ft container, $82 lower than the 10-year average of $2,893 (inflated by the exceptional 2020-22 Covid period).

• Freight rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam decreased 5% or $110 to $2,202 per 40ft container and those from Rotterdam to Shanghai and Shanghai to Genoa decreased 4% to $464 and $2,889 per 40ft container, respectively. Following the trend, rates from Shanghai to New York and Rotterdam to New York decreased 3% to $3,500 and $2,041 per 40ft container, respectively. Also, rates from Los Angeles to Shanghai decreased 2% or $16 to $689 per 40ft container and those from Shanghai to Los Angeles reduced 1% or $27 to $2,590 per 40ft container while rates from New York to Rotterdam increased 2% or $17 to $842 per 40ft container. Drewry expects rates to continue declining in the coming week due to uncertainty stemming from reciprocal tariffs.

Retard : Drewry : World Container Index decreased

The table above shows the correlations in the period 1Q13-2Q24 between the 8 WCI indices – the WCI composite index, the 4 ex-Shanghai lane-specific indices and the 4 other lane-specific indices.

The table shows that the composite index and the 4 ex-Shanghai lane-specific indices are all very highly correlated (0.97 or higher coefficient of correlation).

• For the purpose of risk management, this implies that buying or selling on these lanes has the same risk profile and that it is possible to hedge using the composite index to offset risk on any of the 4 ex-Shanghai lanes

Retard : Drewry report : World Container Index – this week

For the transatlantic lanes, the correlation and risk profile vary by direction:

• The Rotterdam-New York and Rotterdam-Shanghai lanes show a strong (0.71+), but not very strong, correlation with the composite index and the ex-Shanghai indices.
• The New York-Rotterdam lane shows a weak correlation with the composite index (0.50) and the ex-Shanghai lanes, indicating that China pricing has a weaker association to pricing developments on this transatlantic lane.

Press – Release

Drewry ,  World Container Index , May ,  transatlantic lanes