Green Worldwide published its Week 39 freight market update on 23 September 2026. It notes that Drewry's World Container Index rose 1% in the 17 September assessment, with Shanghai-Los Angeles up 5% and Shanghai-New York up 7%, while Shanghai-Genoa fell 5% and Shanghai-Rotterdam fell 9%. The desk describes the market as lane-specific: Transpacific pricing elevated, Asia-Europe softening, and capacity management around China's Golden Week still material.
On volumes, Green Worldwide cites the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates forecast of 2.31 million TEUs for September US container imports, up 9.6% year on year and slightly above July. That would make September the busiest import month of 2026 if the forecast holds, a later peak than earlier expectations. NRF attributed part of the shift to vessel delays from severe weather in China and some Panama Canal rerouting, alongside consumer demand and retailer inventory needs.
On capacity, Drewry expects 77 blank sailings between Weeks 39 and 43 out of 720 planned sailings (about an 11% cancellation rate). Of those cancellations, 55% are expected on eastbound Transpacific, 31% on Asia-North Europe/Mediterranean, and 14% on the Transatlantic. Green Worldwide advises importers with late-September and early-October cargo to keep reviewing sailing schedules, cutoffs, space by origin/destination, blank sailings, rollover exposure, and East Coast versus West Coast routing.