At the start of 2025, the container shipping market was full of changes

At the start of 2025, the container shipping market was full of changes. At the beginning of January, the Shanghai Export Container Freight Index (SCFI) showed a complex trend. On January 3rd, the SCFI rose to 2,505.17 points, with a weekly increase of 1.82%, marking six consecutive weeks of growth. The US routes were the main drivers of this increase, with the US East Coast and US West Coast routes rising by 5.66% and 9.1%, respectively. Labor negotiations at the US East Coast ports were approaching, and the outcome of the resumed talks on the 7th would influence the direction of freight rates. However, shipping companies, in an effort to attract cargo, offered various incentives, such as discounts of $400 - $500, and even reductions of $800 per large container, which somewhat undermined the planned price increases.