Rates from Asia to North Europe have increased for six weeks in a row. From July (week 27) onward, rates are expected to increase even more. (source, source).
Source: Drewry World Container Index (Please note: This index only shows rates up until June 11.)
Why is this happening?
💡 What to do: Book as early as possible and share your shipment forecasts with us.
The market is tightening fast. The Drewry World Container Index surged 23% in the first week of June alone. Peak season has started earlier than usual, virtually all major carriers have introduced Peak Season Surcharges, and space is cut across the board.
As a result, China fixed rates for ETDs from 11 June onwards are not available anymore for many shippers on the Shypple platform. Fixed rates simply can't keep up with the daily movements in this market, making spot the only reliable way to quote accurately.
All freight will be booked on a spot basis. Our team will be in close contact to align on the best available options before anything is confirmed.
In this market, space moves fast. A delayed response can mean a lost booking. The quicker we can align, the better your chances of securing the space you need.
On top of the base rate, shipping lines are adding extra surcharges (called 'peak season surcharges' or PSS). These are separate costs per container.
In short: less space + more demand = higher prices. Carriers are pushing this as far as the market allows.
The weekly fuel surcharge on road transport in the Netherlands and Belgium have dropped slightly over the past few weeks.
Diesel prices in the Netherlands and Belgium have eased slightly in May and June, after surging sharply when the Middle East conflict began in March. Oil markets have stabilised somewhat, and that is feeding through to lower weekly fuel surcharges for road transport.
From 1 July, Dutch trucks pay per kilometre on most motorways and a number of regional roads (Vrachtwagenheffing.nl). The old Eurovignet system disappears. Shypple will pass this cost on directly as a separate line on your invoice.
How it works for your shipments:
From 1 September until end 2026, the government is applying a temporary 22.3% discount on the toll (Dutch government). We will pass this saving on as soon as our transport partners confirm how they are applying it.
Belgium already has a per-kilometre truck toll system. From 1 July 2026, the rate increases from €0.21 to €0.29 per km, a 38% increase. Expect this to show up in your Belgian haulage costs from July onwards.
Air freight rates are still well above what they were a year ago — around 36% higher on routes from Asia to Europe. Some pressure is easing, but don't expect a return to pre-2026 levels anytime soon. (source)
Capacity is slowly returning, airlines like Cathay Cargo say they are nearly back to pre-conflict levels. But rates are stabilising at a higher level, not dropping back to normal.
For shippers: cost forecasting is difficult right now because fuel surcharges change frequently. Factor in extra budget buffer for air shipments.
