Shipping Rates Surge Less Than 24 Hours After Tariff Cuts Announced

Based on recent market feedback, on May 12, 2025, the governments of China and the United States reached an agreement to mutually reduce tariffs, aiming to ease trade tensions. However, major shipping companies have swiftly responded by announcing rate adjustments ahead of the anticipated surge in bookings from exporters.

• Maersk  has announced that, effective May 22, a $1,500 increase will be applied to 40-foot containers shipped from Shanghai, Ningbo, and Xiamen to the U.S. West and East Coasts.

  https://www.maersk.com/prices-and-quotes 
  

• ONE declared on May 15 a $1,000 increase in FAK (Freight All Kinds) rates and plans to implement a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) of up to $2,000 starting May 21.

  https://www.one-line.com/en/news/all-news/all-years/all-months 

• Evergreen is implementing a General Rate Increase (GRI) from May 15 to 31, raising 40-foot container rates by $700, bringing the base port rate to $3,100.

  https://www.evergreen-marine.com/ 
  

• MSC plans to introduce a PSS ranging from $1,600 to $2,000 starting June 1, pushing rates for 40-foot containers to major U.S. West Coast ports (including VAN, LGB, LAX, OAK, SEA) back to $6,000.

  https://www.msc.com/en/ebusiness 
  

• Hapag-Lloyd's latest spot rates indicate that, as of week 22, base port rates to the U.S. West Coast have reached $6,000, the East Coast $7,000, and the Chicago via New York route as high as $7,850.

  https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/services-information/offices-localinfo/north-america.html 
  

• HMM and COSCO have also announced rate increases ranging from $800 to $1,000 starting May 15.

  https://gcaptain.com/carriers-roll-out-rate-increases-amid-us-china-tariff-pause/ 
  

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These rate hikes coincide with a 90-day grace period following the tariff adjustments. According to container shipping consultancy Linerlytica, the tariff reductions—up to 115%—exceed expectations, and U.S. import volumes are projected to surge over the next three months, potentially surpassing peaks seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The traditional peak season (July to September) may arrive earlier, with retailers ramping up inventory for Thanksgiving and Christmas, further driving up shipping rates. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) shows that rates from Shanghai to the U.S. West Coast have increased by 3% from the previous week, reaching $2,347 per 40-foot container, with expectations of exceeding $3,000 in the coming weeks.

CUC Freight's unique advantage lies in its rich experience and strong service network, which can help companies save up to 40% of logistics costs. We provide safe and worry-free "butler-style" services through tailor-made optimal service routes and plans to ensure that customers' needs and budgets are met.

Request a free quote to ship cost-effectively with CUC Freight today!

Specialized services for China-US trade：For shipping from China to the United States, CUC Freight provides door-to-door air freight services, emphasizing speed, transparency and end-to-end logistics. This is especially important in the current environment of high tariffs and rising rates.

In addition, CUC Freight also provides services to selected countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Brazil, Thailand and India.