Transpacific the most profitable container trade by far, says Alphaliner

Carriers are earning up to $1.30 per nautical mile on spot shipments from China to the US west coast, making the transpacific by far the most lucrative major container trade.

Alphaliner’s latest analysis of spot freight revenue per nautical mile highlights the growing gap between the transpacific and other major trades – returns on China-Europe routes are significantly lower, for example.

Spot rates on the Shanghai-USWC route have remained between 3,063 and 3,687 points on the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) since the beginning of July: at around $7,500 per 40ft, current rates translate into revenue of around $1.30 for each of the 5,775 nautical miles of a voyage to Los Angeles, noted Alphaliner.

Although still below the Covid-era peak of 5,110 SCFI points, recorded in January 2022, rates are at their highest since July 2024, and comparable with those seen during the pandemic boom.

This story was originally published by The Loadstar. Read the full story at The Loadstar →