Transpacific up 9% on both coasts as Panama surcharges are filed

Index levels assessed 20 August 2026. This is the weekly briefing as it was published — it is not updated afterwards. For the current position on your lanes, use the rate explorer.

The week in numbers

What moved, and why

• The composite rose 4% to $4,526 per 40ft, driven entirely by the transpacific. Both Shanghai–Los Angeles and Shanghai–New York gained 9%.
• Capacity did most of the work. August deployment fell 9% month on month on Asia to US East Coast and 0.4% on Asia to US West Coast, with seven more blank sailings announced for the following week.
• Several carriers filed Panama Canal surcharges on Asia–US East Coast and Asia–Gulf Coast effective September — a new line to check before treating an East Coast quote as all-in.
• Asia–Europe drifted lower, Shanghai–Genoa off 2% and Shanghai–Rotterdam off 1%, with only two blank sailings announced.
• Congestion at Shanghai and Rotterdam eased in week 33 but stayed elevated, at average waiting times of 32.3 and 25.0 hours respectively.
• Labour strikes at German ports continued to hit schedule reliability, and some carriers began resuming selected Red Sea and Suez transits on improved security assessments.

What it meant for a quote

The line to check here was not the rate. Several carriers filed Panama Canal surcharges on Asia–US East Coast and Gulf effective September, so any East Coast quote given in late August on an all-in basis needed re-reading. Ask for the trigger and the condition that removes it, as with any discretionary charge.