Register Free Trial MARKET BRIEF 2026 WEEK 21 Freight rates out of Asia are rising sharply across the board with higher FAK rates and Peak Season Surcharges set to take effect from 1 June. An early peak season cargo rush is keeping capacity tight across all main tradelanes with limited new vessel deliveries and port congestion helping to cap vessel space availability. Carriers’ earnings will receive a strong boost in the 2nd quarter from the higher rates that are expected to stick until the end

Maersk will launch a new Qilin service calling at Shanghai, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai from 24 July 2026. The service will turn in 5 weeks and will deploy 5 ships that are still to be named. It will offer the fastest transit time from Shanghai to Sydney and Melbourne at 14 days and 17 days respectively compared to 18 days and 21 days currently on Maersk's Dragon service.

MSC will launch a new Ochna service calling at Dalian, Xingang, Qingdao, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalian. The new service will turn in 4 weeks using 4 ships of 2,500 teu starting with the 2,526 teu MSC HAILEY ANN III at Dalian on 19 June 2026.

CMA CGM will launch a new Mekong Transpacific Express (MTE) service connecting Haiphong, Cai Mep, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Oakland, Kaohsiung, Shekou, Haiphong from the end of May 2026. The MTE will turn in 63 days using 9 ships of 9,000 to 13,000 teu starting with the 9,365 teu APL DANUBE at Haiphong on 28 May 2026. OCEAN Alliance partners will also participate on the service with COSCO branding it as the SEA2, OOCL as the SEAP and Evergreen as the PE1. The service will replace US West Coast leg

Register Free Trial A year after the launch of the Gemini Cooperation by Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, the 2 partners continue to under-perform the rest of the market as earnings plunged and turned negative in the 1st quarter despite the purported cost savings from the Gemini alliance. Continued losses are expected for the rest of this year even though all of their main rivals have posted positive earnings after freight rates rebounded in the 1st quarter. The rate momentum remains positive, with TEU

Maersk will launch a new Far East-India Subcontinent 2 (FI2) service connecting Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav, Port Qasim, Shanghai from 4 June 2026. The FI2 will turn in 42 days and will deploy 6 ships of 3,500 to 5,900 teu starting with the 4,496 teu MAERSK COTONOU. The service will complement Maersk’s existing Far East-India Subcontinent 3 (FI3) service that it operates jointly with X-Press Feeders.

Maersk will add a Seasonal Transpacific Loader (TPX) service connecting Cai Mep, Busan, Long Beach, Cai Mep from 8 June 2026. The TPX will turn in 49 days and will deploy 5 to 7 ships of 3,500 to 4,600 teu starting with the 4,395 teu REN JIAN 16. The seasonal loader will operate until September 2026 with 10 sailings currently scheduled and additional sailings to be added depending on market demand. 

COSCO will add a new feeder at its Peruvian hub of Chancay with the launch the Chancay Express 3 (CHX3) service connecting Chancay, Paita, Chancay from 23 June 2026. The CHX3 will turn in 14 days and will deploy the 1,114 teu MEDKON ZOE and 1,296 teu SL HAWK. The new feeder service will add to the existing Chancay Express (CHX) and Chancay Express 2 (CHX2) service that calls respectively at Chancay, Callao, Lirquen, San Antonio, Chancay and Chancay, Callao, Iquique, Arica, Matarani, Chancay.

Hapag-Lloyd has launched a new Poland Germany Express (PGX) service connecting Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Gdynia, Hamburg from 22 April 2026. The service is operated independently by Hapag-Lloyd and turns in 14 days using the 2,824 teu AS CLAUDIA and 2,826 teu IRENES REMEDY. It replaces the former Poland Germany Shuttle (PGS) that is operated together with Maersk as part of the Gemini Cooperation's Europe Shuttle 16, calling the same rotation without the call at Bremerhaven.

Register Free Trial The lack of progress in the re-opening of the Straight of Hormuz and persistently high fuel prices have not dampened container cargo demand as volumes globally are rebounding strongly in May, fueling a fresh round of freight rate increases. The number of containerships idled in the Persian Gulf remains high due to the continued blockade of the Hormuz and the low number of new ship deliveries in the last 2 months have kept the market severely short of ships as charter rates c

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have amended their Gemini Cooperation Agreement to modify the timing of discussions regarding potential seasonal blank sailings with the new arrangement taking effect from March 2026. Under the previous terms of the agreement that started from 1 February 2025, the 2 carriers are authorised to blank sailings only during Chinese New Year or Chinese Golden Week provided such agreement is reached no later than 12 weeks prior to the scheduled date of the sailing. The revised

Register Free Trial Carriers’ have reversed the earnings slump in the 1st quarter with early financial results from COSCO and ONE showing EBIT margin improvements of some 4% compared to 4Q 2025. Freight rates have held up in the 2nd quarter, with carriers able to recover most of the fuel cost increases since March and persisting with regular bi-monthly rate hike announcements as they continue to test the resilience of cargo demand. Charter rates have also strengthened with vessel demand undimin