Asia-to-U.S. Ocean Freight Rates Remain Elevated
Asia-to-U.S. ocean freight spot rates remain elevated, while typhoon-related port congestion, port omissions and schedule adjustments may continue for several weeks.
What are the key facts?
- 1Asia-to-U.S. West Coast ocean freight spot rate: about $8,322 per FEU
- 2Asia-to-U.S. East Coast ocean freight spot rate: about $9,606 per FEU
- 3Typhoons caused congestion and schedule adjustments at Chinese ports
- 4Some transport delays reached 7–10 days
What happened?
Supply Chain Dive reported on October 9 that, according to Freightos data, as of October 6, ocean freight spot rates from Asia to the U.S. West Coast were about $8,322 per FEU, down 3% week over week; rates from Asia to the U.S. East Coast were about $9,606, largely unchanged week over week. Blank sailings on some routes during China’s Golden Week may limit further short-term rate increases, but Chinese ports were previously affected by typhoons, resulting in port congestion, port omissions, schedule adjustments and a concentration of vessel arrivals. Some delays have already reached 7–10 days, and transportation recovery may take several weeks. This directly affects sellers replenishing inventory from China and Southeast Asia to the U.S., particularly sellers of bulky, low-value, high-volume goods and those relying on ocean freight for peak-season replenishment. The original report recommended securing capacity early, increasing safety stock and reassessing the break-even cost between air and ocean freight.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Asia-to-U.S. ocean freight spot rates remain high—about $8,322 per FEU to the West Coast and $9,606 per FEU to the East Coast—and typhoon-related congestion, port omissions and schedule adjustments may continue for several weeks. Sellers of bulky, low-value, high-volume goods that depend on ocean replenishment should manage capacity, inventory and air-versus-ocean costs together to avoid peak-season fulfillment and margin impacts.
What should sellers do now?
- 1Contact freight forwarders this week to secure capacity for replenishment routes from China and Southeast Asia to the U.S.; verify the $8,322 per FEU West Coast rate, the $9,606 per FEU East Coast rate and 7–10-day delays, and create a written booking and estimated-arrival list.Restock planner
- 2This week, identify bulky, low-value, high-volume SKUs that rely on ocean freight for the U.S. peak season, recalculate inventory plans in the replenishment-cycle calculator and increase safety stock; complete a replenishment schedule, estimated arrival date and stockout-risk checklist for each SKU.Procurement List
- 3This week, calculate the air-versus-ocean freight break-even cost for each U.S. replenishment product, focusing on high-volume and low-value SKUs; record each SKU’s shipping method, cost basis and final choice in a reviewable profit calculation sheet.Profit calculator