Drewry, a leading independent maritime research and consulting firm, today announced the latest weekly results for its newly launched Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI). Driven by a volatile combination of escalating operational costs and shifting trade dynamics, the composite index has climbed another 5% week-over-week, officially crossing the psychological threshold to settle at $1,008 per 40ft container (FEU).
This latest uptick underscores a massive long-term shift in regional shipping costs. The index now stands 83% higher than levels recorded prior to the outbreak of the Iran conflict. Maritime analysts at Drewry attribute this sustained rally to three compounding macroeconomic factors:
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Surging Bunker Costs: Rising regional fuel and energy prices are driving up the baseline operational cost per voyage.
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Constrained Fleet Capacity: Equipment shortages and strategic vessel re-routing have restricted the available supply of space on core regional loops.
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Resilient Regional Demand: Strong volumes across manufacturing and consumer hubs continue to outpace available container allocations.
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Launched to bring critical visibility to the high-volume, highly fluid regional maritime market, the IACI tracks actual, real-time spot container freight rates across Asia. The index provides a weighted average across 18 distinct, highly trafficked trade corridors, feeding into a single, comprehensive composite benchmark.
The 18 key regional routes meticulously monitored on a weekly basis include:
• Busan – Shanghai • Kaohsiung – Shanghai • Shanghai – Jebel Ali • Ho Chi Minh City – Shanghai • Laem Chabang – Shanghai • Shanghai – Kaohsiung • Jakarta – Shanghai • Shanghai – Busan • Shanghai – Laem Chabang • Jawaharlal Nehru Port – Shanghai • Shanghai – Ho Chi Minh City • Shanghai – Manila • Shanghai – Yokohama • Shanghai – Jakarta • Shanghai – Singapore • Yokohama – Shanghai • Shanghai – Jawaharlal Nehru Port • Shanghai – Tanjung Pelepas
