Xeneta published its weekly ocean container shipping market update on 24 September 2026, with market-average spot rates as of that date: Far East to US West Coast $8,255 per FEU; Far East to US East Coast $11,445; Far East to North Europe $3,945; Far East to Mediterranean $4,369; and North Europe to US East Coast $2,970.
Versus 1 July 2026, Xeneta shows Far East–USWC up 18.4% (+$1,280/FEU) and Far East–USEC up 30.7% (+$2,691/FEU). The Europe trades moved the other way: Far East–North Europe down 28.7% (−$1,590/FEU) and Far East–Mediterranean down 37.8% (−$2,650/FEU). North Europe–USEC rose 16.1% (+$411/FEU).
Chief analyst Peter Sand said high-flying Far East–US spots may begin to see the end of the rising trend in the first half of October. For goods moving into North Europe and the Mediterranean—where rates have declined since 1 July—he said early October may offer only a short pause before the falling trend resumes.
Sand argued that several operational disruptions in recent months compounded into today's network strain. Shippers about to tender 2027 contract volumes sit in an uneasy position: target contract rates are far below the red-hot spot market, yet conditions cannot be dismissed as something that will vanish soon. He urged assessing each disruptive element against company-level transport needs, both in cost and operational resilience.
For China-sourcing teams, the practical window is immediate: pre-Golden Week cargo still faces peak FE–US pricing and capacity management, while post-holiday planning should assume mid-October schedule volatility rather than an automatic soft landing.