International Shipping and Logistics Market Update - Week 24/2025 | Phaata

International shipping and logistics market update - Week 24/2025

Table of Contents

1. World Container Index Week 24/2025

2. Asia - North America Ocean Freight Rates

3. Asia - Europe Ocean Freight Rates

4. Northern America - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

5. Northern Europe - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

6. Conclusions and Recommendations from Phaata

1. World Container Index Week 24/2025

The Drewry Global Container Freight Index (WCI) was stable week-on-week in 24/2025, up just 0.45% to $3,543/FEU. The index has risen 59% over the past four weeks, as the US’s temporary suspension of reciprocal tariffs on China has led to a resumption of strong freight traffic between the two countries after a prolonged slump.

Drewry's World Container Index Week 24/2025 (Photo: Phaata)

2. Asia-North America Ocean Freight Rates

After many weeks of extreme tension, the Asia - North America market in Week 24 (from June 9 to June 15, 2025) has begun to show clear signs of "cooling down", especially at the US West Coast gateways. The wave of massive cargo transportation to "race" before the tariff deadline seems to have passed its peak. The quick and effective response of shipping lines in re-adding capacity has helped rebalance the market, leading to important changes in freight rates.

Supply and demand:

- Demand: Demand Remains Strong But Has Slowed

The underlying demand for shipping remains strong, driven by two key factors: the risk of tariff changes (the US-China interim deal expires in August and the 90-day reciprocal tariff suspension ends on July 9) and the start of the annual peak season.

However, a key signal is that new bookings have slowed since early June, indicating that the peak of the rush has passed and the market is entering a more stable phase.

- Supply: Capacity Recovers Strongly

Shipping lines have been successful in responding to the previous surge in demand. Capacity is being restored and opened up at many gateways:

Blank Sailings continue to decline sharply. Cancellations this week are down to just 9% (compared to 34% in early May). The forecast for the second half of June is that this will drop to a very low level of just 5% in Week 26 – the lowest level since late March. This shows that supply is becoming more abundant.

- Clear Segregation Between Gateways

The Asia-North America market is no longer homogeneous but has now differentiated into two distinct regions:

+ West Coast (PSW & PNW): The addition of extra loaders and the restoration of services has significantly increased capacity. Southwest Coast gateways are seeing more vacancies, while Northwest Coast gateways have even started to “soften”.

+ East Coast & Gulf: The market remains firmer here as the capacity additions are not as significant as on the West Coast. Only one reinforcement vessel has been deployed and a new service is scheduled to restart later in Week 28.

Container Situation

Container supply remains generally stable across the trade. Equipment shortages are not an immediate concern, although the situation should be monitored.

Rate Developments

Ocean Freight rates from Asia to the West Coast of North America remained stable in week 24/2025, down only a slight 0.08% from the previous week, at $5,190/FEU. This is up 105.71% from the previous month, according to Xeneta data.

West Coast: Freight rates have started to reverse downwards and Phaata forecasts that freight rates will trend downwards for the remainder of June. Notably, the General Rate Increase (GRI) for June 15 has been completely withdrawn by shipping lines for ports to the West Coast.

East Coast and Gulf: In contrast, freight rates here are still holding better prices due to limited capacity. The GRI for June 15 is still in effect, pending further confirmation from shipping lines.

Peak Season Surcharge (PSS): The surcharge for June 15 has been confirmed by several shipping lines to last until the end of June.

Regularly follow articles on Phaata International Logsitcs Marketplace to quickly update market developments.

Asia-North America Freight Rates | Week 24/2025 (Photo: Phaata.com)

US Tariff Updates:

Week 24/2025 marked a particularly important moment with the announcement of a new trade deal between the United States and China. However, this groundbreaking news comes amid ongoing legal battles and uncertainty over other tariffs. Businesses should take this information with a grain of salt, distinguishing between “announcement” and “policy in effect” to avoid making poor decisions.

- Highlights: New US-China Trade Deal Announced

On June 11, after two days of negotiations in London, President Trump announced that the United States and China had reached a trade deal.

The most important note: The deal is pending final approval from both President Trump and President Xi Jinping. Therefore, it has not yet officially entered into force.

Key terms of the deal announced include:

+ A total of 55% tariffs on Chinese goods imported into the United States (including: 10% base IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, 20% IEEPA “fentanyl” tariffs, and 25% tariffs from tariffs imposed during President Trump’s first term).

+ A total of 10% tariffs on US goods imported into China.

+ A simplified process for importing Chinese rare earth shipments into the United States.

+ Restoring access to US colleges and universities for Chinese citizens.

- Legal Status of IEEPA Tariffs: Temporarily “Settling”

Another important development that provides short-term clarity:

On June 10, the US Court of Appeals issued a longer-term stay, replacing the previous short-term stay.

Expert Opinion: This action affirms that IEEPA tariffs will remain in effect and be collected during the legal proceedings. Businesses must continue to comply and pay these tariffs until a final decision is made. The next oral arguments are scheduled for July 31, 2025.

- Update on Reciprocal Tariffs

+ Prospects for Extensions for Major Partners: On June 11, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that it is “highly likely” that the July 9 deadline for the country-by-country suspension of reciprocal tariffs will be extended for “leading U.S. trading partners” that are engaged in “good faith” negotiations. The proposed 50% tariff with the EU (currently deferred until July 9) is also likely to be pushed back further.

+ The complex future of tariffs with China:

Currently: Chinese goods imported from May 14, 2025 are still subject to a 10% reciprocal tariff until August 11, 2025.

Potential future: This tariff could rise to 55% under the newly announced deal. However, the specifics of the deal – including the exact implementation roadmap – remain unclear and the deal itself has yet to be ratified. This is the biggest risk point for businesses with supply chains linked to China.

+ UK and other countries:

The 10% reciprocal tariff with the UK is expected to remain in place due to a previous agreement.

Other countries still face a July 9 deadline. If no deal is reached, country-specific tariffs could be reinstated.

3. Asia-Europe Ocean Freight Rates

The Asia-Europe market in Week 24 is not simply tight, but in a state of capacity crisis. The combination of persistent operational issues and strategic decisions by shipping lines has created an environment of severe space and equipment shortages, giving all pricing power to the shipping lines.

On supply and demand:

- Market situation:

The shipping lines’ vessel utilization is at an extremely high level. Most of the upcoming sailings are fully booked. Finding space at the last minute is almost impossible.

- Causes of scarcity:

The current tension is not only due to demand but mainly due to the weakening of the supply side, due to three main reasons:

+ Decline in active capacity: Shipping lines are deploying downsized vessels and have planned blank sailings in mid-June, directly reducing transport capacity.

+ Operational disruption: Ship delays at ports continue, seriously affecting on-schedule departures and reducing the actual operating efficiency of the fleet.

+ Direct consequences: The combination of the above factors leads to an increase in cargo rollovers, creating a vicious cycle: remaining cargo puts pressure on subsequent sailings, further exacerbating the situation.

Freight Rates:
Asia to Europe freight rates rose 3.54% week-on-week in week 24/2025 to $2,457/FEU. This represents a 23.22% increase month-on-month, according to Xeneta data.

The Asia-Europe SCFI has surged 44% in just the past four weeks, a telling sign of the market’s heat.

- Market sentiment: It is worth noting that despite the General Rate Increase (GRI) being implemented by shipping lines in early June, demand for slots continues to climb. This suggests that shippers’ concerns about future disruptions outweigh their price sensitivity. They are willing to pay higher prices to secure cargo.

- New price targets: Shipping lines, seeing their advantage, have announced GRI for the second half of June. The market is now targeting prices above USD 3,000/FEU.

- Short-term outlook: The price increase is expected to continue. Many exporters have started promoting bookings for July, showing concern and a wave of early bookings to avoid risks.

Regularly follow the articles on Phaata International Logsitcs Marketplace to quickly update market developments.

Asia-Europe Freight Rates | Week 24/2025 (Photo: Phaata.com)

4. North America - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

North America (West Coast) to Asia Freight Rates in Week 24/2025 remained stable compared to the previous week, with only a slight increase of 0.31% to USD 637/FEU. This rate increased by 3.75% compared to the previous month, according to Xeneta data.

North America (West Coast) - Asia freight rates | Week 24/2025 (Photo: Phaata.com)

5. Northern Europe - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

Northern Europe - Asia Freight Rates in Week 24/2025 continued to increase sharply by 8.91% compared to the previous week, to USD 281/FEU. This price increased by 27.73% compared to the previous month, according to Xeneta data.

Container Freight rates from Northern Europe to Asia | Week 24/2025 (Photo: Phaata.com)

6. Conclusion and Recommendations from Phaata

The international transport and logistics market in Week 24/2025 has shown complex developments, marking an important turning point. The global freight fever seems to have slowed down (the Drewry WCI index only increased slightly by 0.45%), but beneath that stable surface is a deep and worrying divergence between the main trade routes.

- The market has differentiated into two separate scenarios:

Asia - North America: The peak of tension has passed and the rebalancing phase has entered. The effective addition of capacity by carriers has successfully cooled the market, especially at West Coast ports. The withdrawal of GRI on June 15 is the clearest evidence of this change.

Asia-Europe: In contrast, the trade route is sinking deeper into a serious operational crisis. Freight rates continue to climb not because of booming demand but because of inherent supply-side issues: port congestion, schedule delays and reduced capacity. The market is dominated by scarcity and disruption risk.

Geopolitical uncertainty is the biggest risk factor: While the shipping market has shown signs of stabilization in some areas, uncertainty from trade policies has increased. The announcement of the US-China trade deal but not yet ratified has created a huge unknown for long-term strategic planning. US importers are facing a 55% tariff on goods from China, but with no clear roadmap. This is the biggest risk that could reshape the entire global supply chain.

Market power remains tilted towards carriers, especially on the European route: Although US rates have shown signs of cooling, the scarcity of space and equipment on the European route allows carriers to maintain upward pressure on rates and surcharges.

Recommendations from Phaata

This is a time that requires decisive leadership and a more flexible supply chain strategy than ever before.

1- Apply different flexible strategies:

Businesses cannot apply a single logistics strategy to all shipping lanes.

- For the North American market: Take advantage of the cooling period on the West Coast to negotiate better spot rates and more service options. However, be wary of the still-tense East Coast market and upcoming tariff timelines.

- For the European market: Prioritize securing space and minimizing supply chain disruptions. Accept higher costs in the short term and focus on booking very early, working with reputable logistics partners to minimize rollover risks.

2- Develop a Plan Based on Tariff Scenarios:

Businesses cannot wait for official information. Be proactive in planning your finances and business plans for different scenarios: (a) US-China deal passes with 55% tariffs; (b) Deal fails and old tariffs return; (c) Delayed timelines. Analyzing the cost impact for each scenario will help businesses stay on track.

3- Enhance Supply Chain Resilience:

- Enhance collaboration: Communicate regularly with logistics partners to stay informed about port congestion and vessel schedules.

- Diversify routes and ports: Work with partners to find service routes through less congested secondary ports, even if transit times may be slightly longer.

4- Don’t ignore signals from the backhaul:

The sharp increase in freight rates from Europe to Asia (up 8.91% in the week) is an early warning of an equipment imbalance. This could in turn affect the availability of empty containers to load goods in Europe in the coming time. Exporters from Europe should also pay attention to this pressure.

In short, the Week 24 market requires a keen sense of operation. Businesses that can deeply analyze the differences between markets and build a flexible strategy will have a great competitive advantage to overcome this challenging period.

Regularly follow articles on Phaata.com or Phaata fanpage to quickly update market developments.

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