US-Bound Container Freight Rates Peak Post-Hormuz Crisis

Ocean freight benchmarking platform Xeneta stated that spot container rates from the Far East to US coasts reached a post-Hormuz crisis peak and will not collapse in the coming months, as reported by Airfreight News.

According to October 1 data, the spot shipping rate from the Far East to the US West Coast reached $8,346 per standard 40-foot container, up 1.4% week-on-week, and $11,523 to the East Coast, up 0.7%. Both routes remain roughly 335% to 344% above the February 28 baseline prior to the Hormuz crisis.

In contrast, rates on the Far East to Northern Europe route fell 2.1% to $3,726, and on the Far East to Mediterranean route dropped 4.6% to $4,105. Chief Analyst Peter Sand said the market "peaked in the 2026 Hormuz crisis" and that prices "will not collapse."

Sand expects rates on the US East Coast route to decline to between $6,000 and $7,000, and on the West Coast route to between $4,500 and $5,500 within three months. Markets track these levels closely because they determine the cost of moving goods between Asia and North America, a primary route in global trade.

What do these terms mean?

Spot shipping: The container transport rate agreed upon for an upcoming trip and specific timeframe, moving rapidly with supply and demand. Standard 40-foot container: The standard unit for measuring shipping volumes across container lines. Baseline: The reference level against which increases or decreases are measured, in this case, the rate level on February 28 prior to the Hormuz crisis. Peak: The highest point a price reaches before beginning to decline. Northern Europe and the Mediterranean: Two maritime shipping routes distinct from the US coasts route, each having its own pricing.