Shanghai–New York falls to $9,303 per 40ft; Genoa holds at $4,166

Market Context & Direct Impact

Transpacific ocean rates still sit far above the Asia-to-Europe lanes. Drewry's World Container Index put Shanghai to New York at $9,303 per 40ft in the week assessed 5 November 2026, down 3%, while Shanghai to Los Angeles was unchanged at $7,539. Shanghai to Genoa held at $4,166 and Shanghai to Rotterdam fell 2% to $3,615. Derived: the New York rate sits well above the Genoa rate (inputs: $9,303 and $4,166), although the two lanes serve different markets. Freightos's Asia-US East Coast benchmark fell 6% to $9,911 per FEU in its 3 November update, and it said transpacific rates remained about $5,500 per FEU above pre-peak levels. A sourcing model built on pre-peak freight would therefore understate Asia-US cost.

Duty rules, not freight alone, decide which origin wins. A Federal Register notice published 28 July 2026 sets a 10% Section 301 tariff on goods of Mexico and India, unless otherwise exempted, and 12.5% on Vietnamese products except as provided in Annexes I and II. The rates bind only goods outside those exemptions. This summary does not cover any pending legal challenge, so the duty line in a landed-cost model needs a per-product check.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Freight premium persistsIn the same Drewry index, Shanghai to New York ($9,303 per 40ft) still outprices Shanghai to Genoa ($4,166 per 40ft), so the ocean leg belongs in every Asia-US landed-cost model.
• Duty is per productSection 301 rates of 10% or 12.5% depend on annex exemptions, so the duty line should be set for each part number rather than each country.
• Refresh the benchmarkCarrier increases on Asia-Europe did not stick in early November, so a budget built on one spot quote can go stale within a week.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Rebuild landed-cost scenarios

   Split every origin into ocean, duty and inland truck legs, and refresh the ocean leg against the Drewry index that procurement teams widely reference.

2. 2
   Clear exemptions before awarding

   Have customs specialists confirm annex exemptions for each part number before awarding volume to a Mexico, India or Vietnam supplier.

Filed 15:26 GMT, 8 November 2026, for the second edition of 8 Nov.
As agents only.

Sources

1. World Container Index - 05 NovDrewry, published 5 November 2026
2. Calmer waters for container spot rates, but 'fragile' Middle East a threatThe Loadstar, published 6 November 2026
3. Freightos Weekly Update: Asia - US air rates already nearing last year's high on peak season volumesAJOT (Freightos Weekly Update), published 3 November 2026
4. Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations of Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies Related to Forced LaborFederal Register (USTR), published 28 July 2026

Claims ledger: 8 facts and where each comes from

• Drewry's World Container Index: Shanghai to New York fell 3% to $9,303 per 40ft container, and Shanghai to Los Angeles was unchanged at $7,539 per 40ft, in the assessment dated Thursday 5 November 2026.¹
• Drewry's World Container Index: Shanghai to Rotterdam decreased 2% to $3,615 per 40ft, and Shanghai to Genoa remained stable at $4,166 per 40ft.¹
• Drewry describes its World Container Index as the benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams.¹
• Freightos's Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) decreased 6% to $9,911 per FEU, in its update of 3 November 2026.³
• Freightos said transpacific prices were about $5,500 per FEU higher than before peak season.³
• The Loadstar reported on 6 November 2026 that new freight-all-kinds levels introduced by carriers on 1 November were unable to stick on Asia-Europe.²
• The U.S. Trade Representative will impose a 10% tariff on goods of Mexico and India, unless otherwise exempted from the action, per the Section 301 notice published 28 July 2026.⁴
• The U.S. Trade Representative will impose 12.5% tariffs on products of Vietnam, except as provided in Annex I and Annex II, Part A of the notice.⁴

Every figure above is tied to a cited source that was checked on the day of filing. Found an error? Tell the desk.