The SCFI loses ground for the third week and moves away from the summer highs
Shanghai – Container freight rates continue to fall for the third week in a row, according to the latest data from the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI). The index, published by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, marked a new 4% decline, falling to 1,393.56 points after the -2.9% of the previous week.
The slowdown comes after a month characterized by four consecutive weeks of increases, highlighting a new phase of volatility in the container market. The values remain above the annual low touched at the end of September (1,114.52 points), but are far from the peak recorded at the beginning of June, when the index had almost reached 2,240 points.
The historical comparison shows the extent of the fluctuations: the SCFI had reached its absolute peak in January 2022 with over 5,100 points, while one of the most recent lows dates back to October 2023 with 931.89 points. The current downward phase suggests a weakening of demand or a rebalancing of supply, factors that operators will follow closely in the coming weeks.
