Beginning of 2026, rates between East Asia and the US East Coast increase substantially.
Spot container freight rates on the Far East to US East Coast trade lane increased sharply in the early days of 2026, continuing their upward momentum from late 2025. According to weekly ocean container shipping market data from Xeneta, average rates had reached 3,807 USD per FEU on 8 January -- an increase of 24.9 percent when compared with 31 December 2025; most of this rise took place between late December and early January with limited intra January volatility seen thus far.
This rate increase comes against a backdrop of continued capacity inflows and geopolitical/seasonal risk. While container tonnage supplies continue to expand, those shipping on the Far East to US East Coast corridor face more expensive spot markets as 2026 begins. Reasons include inventory rebuilding costs associated with cautious inventory rebuilding efforts; ongoing service diversions/adjustments around Red Sea diversions/service changes; pre Chinese New Year cargo front loading creating stronger short term pricing power for carriers on this key east-west route.
US container import volumes appear to have stabilized but will end 2025 below prior year levels.
US containerised import demand closed out 2025 on a slightly stronger monthly note while remaining just marginally below 2024 year-to-date. Descartes Systems Group's January Global Shipping Report shows that US container imports reached 2,2227,316 TEU in December - an increase of 2 percent month on month from November volumes - after experiencing more significant slowdown during November; Descartes describes this seasonal stabilisation toward year end as being representative.
Descartes reports that US imports totalled 28,079,201 TEU in 2025 - an 0.4 percent decline compared to 2024 levels. China was the primary contributor to this year-over-year decrease; imports from India, Taiwan and South Korea also contracted while Southeast Asian exporters such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia experienced double digit percentage increases to the US market. Overall global trade sentiment remains cautious as 2026 begins, due to US China tariff measures, impending tariff rulings and ongoing Red Sea security concerns which impact shippers strategic plans and planning strategies.
Commercially idle container fleet is expected to remain low by end 2025.
Even as 2025 saw significant new capacity emerge, commercially idle vessels in the global container ship fleet at year end remained relatively small. According to Alphaliner data cited by Ship and Bunker, 83 container ships were counted as commercially idle at December 2025 -- approximately 0.6% of total capacity of this global fleet capacity; commercially idle here does not include tonnage temporarily waiting outside congested ports but still utilized on active services.
Alphaliner anticipates idle capacity could rise over the coming months as additional newbuildings arrive and seasonal demand softens during the first quarter. An estimated 1.5 million TEU of new container capacity is scheduled to enter service during 2026 following over 2 million delivered in 2025; capacity growth should accelerate again in 2027 when around 3 million TEU should arrive - underscoring an ongoing expansion of global container fleet that may exert greater competitive pressure on freight rates beyond short term spikes seen on specific trades.
Adjustments were made across key north south and east west trade routes.
As 2026 draws near, major liner operators continue to adapt port rotations and service structures in response to changing demand patterns and operational restrictions. Kuehne plus Nagel released an update covering CMA CGM, Maersk, Hapag Lloyd and MSC changes through 7 January 2026 as detailed by Kuehne plus Nagel carrier service update covering period to 7 January 2026; CMA CGM revised their PEX2 and CAX service on the Asia to Central America and Caribbean corridor from late December 2025 by adding calls at Vung Tau and Manzanillo while dropping Singapore; first sailing was scheduled with vessel CMA CGM G Washington departing Vung Tau on 30 December from Vung Tau.
On Asia to South America East Coast trade, CMA CGM and Maersk modified their joint SEAS3 and ASAS2 service starting December 2025, adding calls at Hong Kong, Itajai and Vung Tau while dropping Vung Tau from rotation; with Prestige scheduled as the inaugural sailing from Shanghai on 30 December under this revised schedule. On Europe to North America trade, MSC modified the port rotation on their Canada Express service starting December 2025 - including stops at Felixstowe, Bilbao Gijon Vigo on a loop connecting Halifax Halifax Sines key Continental European ports to Montreal
Hapag Lloyd will implement a revised rotation on their MIAX service between India and South/West Africa by late January 2026, adding Cape Town as an extra port call with vessel Gialova scheduled to depart Cape Town as the inaugural sailing under this pattern. Furthermore, CMA CGM plans on joining Maersk on its KEA service from December 2025 as a slot charterer, thus expanding market access on this long haul north south corridor.
Maersk highlights Red Sea security measures and North America network updates
Maersk's January 2026 North America market update provides additional insight into operational and demand conditions at the turn of the year. Maersk reports that their container ship Maersk Sebarok completed an inaugural transit of Bab el Mandeb Strait and Red Sea on 18-19 December 2025 while operating MECL service from India/Middle East/US East Coast/Gulf Coast region to US East Coast/Gulf region with enhanced safety measures in place, directly informing all customers with cargo on board as they were informed directly by Maersk. Maersk highlights how security risk management plays an integral part in service design/communication processes as it reinforces regional security risk management in service design/communication practices that support effective communication channels between service design/communicators networks/service providers/communication platforms/service.
Maersk notes that Asia Pacific-North America trade saw considerable gains by the end of 2025, with spot rates to the US West Coast increasing by nearly 44% during this time. This line has scheduled seven blank sailings across its transpacific network for Chinese New Year holidays in mid-February; four to the West Coast and three to the East Coast - to align deployed capacity with expected fluctuations in demand during factory and customs closures. Maersk also identified temporary operational adjustments within North America, such as shifting MECL service from Bayport terminal in Houston to Barbours Cut in Houston for approximately eight weeks due to construction related delays.
These early year developments illustrate a container shipping landscape where freight rates on high demand corridors are increasing, US import volumes remain steady but slightly softened on an annual comparison and carriers are actively managing networks and risk exposure. At the same time, commercially idle tonnage remains low indicating that much of the expanding container fleet remains engaged - an indicator of market dynamics through 2026's first quarter.