Has the peak freight season before Christmas already ended or is it still overdue? At present, the cargo volume on the Middle East route is still insufficient, and the freight rates continue to decline. Shipping companies on the Caribbean and South American routes are in need of cargo, and the freight rates can hardly be sustained. The cargo volume on the Australian route has dropped, and the freight rates of transshipment vessels and direct vessels have both fallen. Currently, it is between $800 and $950 per TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit).

In contrast, recently, there has been a situation of cargo space shortage on the Asia-Europe routes at some ports in China. It is expected that the freight rate will be increased by $250 per TEU in January 2011. The cargo volume on the routes to the United States has also increased slightly, and the cargo space is tight.

Industry insiders analyze that the recovery of the employment rate in Europe and the United States has promoted the increase in the demand for goods. Suppliers have started to replenish their inventories, leading to an increase in the cargo volume in this region. In addition, the capacity reduction actions of liner companies have also contributed to the tightness of cargo space.