en.Wedoany.com Reported - Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rose to US$939 per 40-foot container this week, reaching its highest level in nearly two years.

This round of ocean freight rate increases has been primarily driven by global geopolitical uncertainties, an early start to the peak shipping season, and strict capacity management measures enforced by shipping lines. Since mid-October 2025, the index has climbed steadily from a low of around US$480, reaching US$939 by May 15, 2026. The index experienced fluctuations in late 2025 and declined for two consecutive months in early 2026 before bottoming out at US$550 and accelerating its recovery from March onwards.

The upward momentum has strengthened significantly over the past month, with freight rates in the region nearly doubling within seven months. The index is a weighted average of weekly spot market freight rates, excluding terminal handling charges at both origin and destination ports. Its coverage spans key trade routes between major trading ports, including Shanghai, Busan, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Laem Chabang, Yokohama, Manila, Singapore, Jebel Ali, Tanjung Pelepas, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

Drewry changed the IACI publication frequency from bi-weekly to weekly starting January 2, 2026, and this report is part of that weekly update.

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