Global airfreight prices are overall little changed but there are major variations between major trade lanes, said TAC Index in its latest report.
The overall Baltic Air Freight Index, calculated by TAC, was down 1.9% over 12 months, having edged marginally lower by 0.4% week on week.
On the busiest lanes out of China to the US and to Europe, the index for outbound routes from Hong Kong – reflecting the full spectrum of spot and contract rates being paid – was -6.7% lower over 12 months, but gained +0.3% week on week.
Outbound from Shanghai was -3.7% lower, rates having edged up slightly by +0.2% week on week, said the analyst.
Elsewhere out of Asia, rates from Vietnam were rising to Europe but slipping to the US. Rates from India did the reverse, rising to the US but falling to Europe.
Out of Europe, routes from Frankfurt were ahead by 14.2% year on year, having gained +4.0% week on week. But outbound from London, rates gave back a chunk of recent major gains, shedding 16.4% week on week, though still showing a gain of 17.7% year on year.
Airfreight rates on key trade lanes out of Hong Kong declined only slightly in June, reflecting the quieter summer period and despite the Middle East conflict.
Dimerco’s Asia Pacific Freight Report for August stated shippers are uncertain about planning air cargo schedules as the US tariff deadline of 1 August approaches, but are rushing to export goods from southeast Asia to the US in the meantime.
TAC Index consolidates transactional data from forwarders and airlines, using algorithms to generate general cargo indices.