Drewry’s latest Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) reports a 3% decline in spot rates during the second week of February, with the composite index settling at $557 per 40ft container.
The current valuation sits $110 below the levels recorded during the same period last year. This downward trend—now representing a 17% year-on-year (YoY) decrease—is creating significant pressure on carrier margins across the region’s most active trade corridors.
The IACI, a weighted average of spot rates across 18 major intra-Asia routes, reflects a market currently saturated with supply. Industry analysts at Drewry suggest that this downturn is likely to persist in the near term. Recovery is heavily dependent on carriers implementing more aggressive and effective capacity management strategies to balance the prevailing supply-demand mismatch.
Launched as a weekly service in January 2026, the Drewry IACI provides transparency into the actual spot container freight rates for the Asian maritime sector. The index tracks 18 specific trade routes, providing both individual route data and a composite benchmark, all reported in USD per 40ft container.
Monitored Routes Include:
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North Asia Hubs: Shanghai to/from Busan, Yokohama, and Kaohsiung.
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Southeast Asia Hubs: Shanghai to/from Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Laem Chabang, Manila, Singapore, and Tanjung Pelepas.
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Extended Regional Links: Shanghai to/from Jebel Ali and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
