RCL: new weekly China–Indonesia RCI05 from 8 Nov; Qingdao–Shanghai–Nansha–Jakarta–Surabaya

Reuters: some buyers restore China orders as plus-one plants lag on ecosystem

Reuters (14 Sep 2026; widely recirculated into late September) reports that a year after tariff-driven diversification, some companies are restoring China production or sourcing because overseas plants struggle to match skilled labour, supplier networks and reliable power. Dawang Metals in Dandong regained U.S. agricultural-machinery orders after an India shift underperformed; Hangzhou furniture exporter Jin Chaofeng shut a 2024 Ho Chi Minh City workshop and moved production back. People familia

Netstock: 75% of China-sourcing SMBs flag long lead times (gap widens to 33 pts)

FreightWaves (24 Sep 2026) reports Netstock's 2026 Supply Chain Planning Benchmark: among SMBs sourcing from China, 75% now cite long supplier lead times, versus 42% for businesses sourcing elsewhere. That China gap widened from 9 percentage points in 2025 (61% vs 52%) to 33 points this year. Multi-region sourcing among firms tracked on US/China/Canada/Mexico rose to 55% (from 45% in 2024). Supplier lead-time swings ranked the top single inventory challenge for 29% of respondents.

Freightos: Transpacific still near peaks; Asia-Med back to May; China-EU air -18%

Freightos' weekly update (24 Sep 2026, via Container News) says Far East-US West Coast rose about 4% to more than $8,100/FEU last week, with East Coast roughly flat near $9,600/FEU, helped by pre-Golden Week cargo and Far East port congestion. Asia-Northern Europe fell about 15% to $3,700/FEU; Asia-Mediterranean fell about 7% to $3,900/FEU, back near May levels as more Red Sea/Suez capacity returns. China-Northern Europe air fell 18% to about $4.30/kg; China-US air held near $6.50/kg.

Drewry WCI −1% to $4,468: Asia–Europe soft as Suez rises; Transpacific blanks jump to 15

gCaptain (24 Sep 2026), citing Drewry’s latest World Container Index, says the composite fell 1% to USD 4,468 per 40ft. Shanghai–Genoa dropped 5% to USD 3,835 and Shanghai–Rotterdam 4% to USD 3,485 as Suez containership transits rose to 48 in Week 38 from 41. Transpacific was firmer: Shanghai–Los Angeles +2% to USD 7,838; Shanghai–New York about USD 10,373. Drewry counts 15 Transpacific blank sailings for next week (from nine) and seven Asia–Europe blanks (from three).