Capacity management helping carriers stabilise rates: Dimerco

As of April 2025, 72 out of 713 scheduled sailings have been cancelled, resulting in a 10 percent cancellation rate for key East-West trade lanes.

"The Transpacific Eastbound route saw the highest cancellations at 56 percent, followed by Asia-North Europe and Med at 31 percent and Transatlantic Westbound at 14 percent," says the latest update from Dimerco.

As a result of these cancellations, Drewry's World Container Index increased three percent to $2,192 per 40ft container, indicating that capacity management strategies are helping to stabilise freight rates, the update added.

"In 2025, we’re definitely seeing global supply chains becoming more fragmented, largely due to ongoing geopolitical shifts," says Alvin Fuh, Vice President – Ocean Freight, Dimerco Express Group. "For example, China’s recent move to extend export restrictions on critical minerals adds another layer of complexity to international trade. Along with the new U.S. tariffs, there is a potential drop by 20 percent in import cargo levels, especially impacting industries like energy transition and electronics, based on a recent report by the National Retail Federation (NRF).

"And now, with the proposed per-port-entry fee on Chinese-built vessels, shipping carriers will likely have to rethink how they deploy their services. The big takeaway here is that businesses need to stay agile - this shifting environment is pushing logistics teams to constantly optimise their operations to stay ahead of the game."

Regional highlights
North China: Freight rates to Asia are rising, especially for Indonesia. "U.S. tariff alterations lead to cancelled orders and suspended shipments, contributing to oversupply of space. OA alliance (COSCO|EMC|CMA|OOCL) plans blank sailings to the U.S. and Canada by the end of April to balance supply and demand."

East China: Space to Southeast Asia is starting to tighten and the ocean freight is rising. The U.S.-bound freights are expected to fall due to the volume decrease, the update added.

South China: "Most shipments have been suspended to the U.S. in April. A large volume of shipments is expected to be shipped out at the end of May due to the U.S. domestic growing demand and possible shortage. The production line shifts to Southeast Asia that increases demand for exports will lead to higher price volatility."

South Korea: Shipping carriers attempted to implement a general rate increase (GRI) in early April to support U.S. ocean freight rates, similar to their efforts in March. "However, rates dropped again as booking cancellations rose amid ongoing tariff uncertainty."

Philippines: Overall rates are expected to begin declining in May as more shipments are scheduled for June. "May is typically one of the hottest months. For temperature-sensitive commodities, the use of insulated containers is strongly recommended to prevent damage."

Vietnam: Demand to the U.S. is expected to increase compared to the increase before the end of the tariff pause; however, there is still more supply than demand, the update added.

"Intra-Asia lane is generally stable but there is a space constraint to Manila with bookings subject to roll over. Due to Vietnam’s Liberation Day and Labour Day holidays from April 30 to May 4, container volumes and truck traffic have increased significantly. As a result, congestion at Cat Lai Port is severe and is expected to continue through mid-May, causing vessel delays of approximately two–three days compared to the original schedule."

North America/Los Angeles: Tariff tension may lead to blank sailings from China, impacting space availability. Pre-book early, but note cancellations may still occur, the update added.

North America/Dallas: "The 2025 peak season began earlier than usual, driven by tariff concerns and logistical shifts. This has led to increased port congestion, reduced vessel availability, and a redirection of inland freight flows toward DFW."

North America/Vancouver: The Port of Vancouver continues to experience congestion with a rail car shortage causing delays for inbound shipments to Toronto and Montreal, the update added.

Mexico: Long-term shipping rates for 2025 are projected to rise by 30 percent compared to 2024 as shipping companies implement blank sailings to help stabilise prices, Dimerco says in its report.

"The Port of Lázaro Cárdenas is set to receive a $542 million investment in private funding for expanding container terminals, energy storage and automotive facilities. These enhancements are designed to increase efficiency and solidify the port’s role as a crucial regional logistics hub, with improved rail connections to the U.S. Midwest and Texas."

Europe: Port congestion remains a significant issue in Europe, with over 935,000 TEU of cargo waiting at anchorages as of early April, the update added.

"Major ports like Rotterdam and Antwerp are experiencing severe delays and berthing challenges, driven by redirected trade, labour disruptions and a surge in volumes from front-loading."