Transpacific Container Rates in November 2026: What Importers Need

Ports & Freight

11-12-2026

Transpacific container rates are drifting lower in November 2026, but they are still far above where they were a year ago. Drewry's World Container Index, assessed on November 5, put Shanghai to Los Angeles at $7,539 per 40-foot container, unchanged from the prior week, while Shanghai to New York fell 3% to $9,303. The global composite slipped 1% to $4,389 per 40-foot container, which Drewry says is still 124% higher than a year earlier. For ecommerce brands that import from Asia, that means spot freight is softening but remains expensive, and timing your next replenishment order matters.

What Are Transpacific Container Rates Right Now?

Here are the most recent figures from Drewry's weekly index (per 40-foot container, assessed November 5, 2026):

World Container Index composite: $4,389, down 1% week over week and up 124% year over year
Shanghai to Los Angeles: $7,539, flat week over week
Shanghai to New York: $9,303, down 3% (about $328)
Los Angeles to Shanghai (backhaul): $817, down 2%
Shanghai to Rotterdam: $3,615, down 2%

Drewry publishes a new assessment every Thursday, so check its index page for the latest week before you book. The numbers above are spot rates. If you ship under an annual contract with a carrier or forwarder, your price may be very different.

Are Ocean Freight Rates Going Up or Down?

The short answer is down, for now. October saw a brief rally, then a reversal. Drewry's composite index moved like this over the past month:

October 8: $4,351
October 15: $4,485
October 22: $4,585
October 29: $4,429
November 5: $4,389

On the Los Angeles lane specifically, Shanghai to Los Angeles peaked at $8,007 on October 22, fell 6% to $7,514 on October 29, and held near that level at $7,539 on November 5. Shanghai to New York has fallen from $10,166 to $9,303 over the same three weeks.

Drewry's outlook for the week after its November 5 assessment was a further decline in transpacific rates, citing rising effective capacity and weak demand. That is a forecast, not a guarantee. Rates can turn quickly when carriers cancel sailings or when demand rebounds.

Why Are Container Rates Falling in November?

Several factors are pulling in the same direction:

The holiday import rush is over. Most holiday inventory has already landed in the U.S., so fewer brands are competing for space on ships leaving Asia.
More capacity is available. Drewry points to improving capacity availability and softer demand at Chinese ports as reasons rates are under pressure.
Chinese port congestion is easing. Average vessel waiting time at Shanghai dropped to about 35 hours, according to Drewry. FreightWaves, also citing Drewry data, reported waits as long as 97 hours in mid-September.
Fewer blank sailings. Carriers announced three canceled transpacific sailings for the week after November 5, down from five the week before. Fewer cancellations means more space on the water.

One thing pushing the other way: on Asia to Europe routes, carriers are trying to raise freight-all-kinds (FAK) rates in mid-November ahead of 2027 contract talks. Drewry also flagged a potential labor action involving watchmen at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as a risk factor. Neither has reversed the transpacific trend so far, but both are worth watching.

What Does This Mean for Ecommerce Brands That Import From Asia?

If you sell online and bring in inventory by ocean container or LCL (less than container load), lower spot rates give you a window to plan your first-quarter restock more cheaply than in October. A few practical takeaways:

Price your landed cost with current numbers. A difference of several hundred dollars per container changes your per-unit cost, especially on low-priced, bulky products.
Do not assume rates will keep falling. Rates are still more than double last year's level on the composite index. Carriers have cut capacity before to push prices back up.
Plan around factory slowdowns. Many Asian factories slow or close around Lunar New Year. Brands that need stock for spring often place orders well before the holiday so goods ship before the slowdown.
Consider the West Coast. Shanghai to Los Angeles is currently about $1,764 cheaper per 40-foot container than Shanghai to New York on Drewry's index, and transit to Southern California is shorter. For brands selling nationwide, landing at Los Angeles or Long Beach and shipping parcels from a nearby warehouse can cut both freight cost and time to shelf.
Keep buffer stock. Ocean schedules can still slip. A few extra weeks of inventory on hand protects your marketplace metrics and ad spend if a container is delayed.

How Can You Lower the Cost of Getting Imports to Customers?

Ocean freight is only one piece. Once a container lands, drayage, unloading, storage and parcel postage all add to your cost per order. Brands that receive containers close to the port avoid long inland truck moves and can start shipping orders within days of discharge. If you sell on several channels, having one inventory pool connected to every storefront also prevents overselling while stock is in transit. You can see which platforms connect directly on our integrations page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to ship a container from China to Los Angeles right now?

Drewry's November 5, 2026 assessment put the Shanghai to Los Angeles spot rate at $7,539 per 40-foot container. Contract rates, forwarder quotes and smaller LCL shipments are priced differently, so get a current quote for your exact shipment.

Will container rates go down before Lunar New Year?

Drewry projected further transpacific declines in the near term because of rising capacity and weak demand. However, rates often firm up when brands rush to ship before factories close for the holiday, so there is no guarantee prices keep dropping.

Why is shipping to New York more expensive than shipping to Los Angeles?

All-water service from Asia to the East Coast is a longer voyage, typically through the Panama or Suez Canal, which costs carriers more in fuel and vessel time. On Drewry's index, Shanghai to New York was $9,303 versus $7,539 to Los Angeles as of November 5.

What is a blank sailing?

A blank sailing is a scheduled voyage that a carrier cancels, usually to remove capacity when demand is weak. Fewer blank sailings generally means more available space and downward pressure on rates; more cancellations can push rates up and delay your cargo.

How 3PL City Helps

3PL City runs a Los Angeles warehouse in Gardena, CA, about 10 miles from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, so imported inventory can be received and put to work quickly. We offer same-day shipping on orders placed by 2 PM Pacific, 99.8% order accuracy, discounted carrier rates, and a dedicated account manager who responds within 1 hour during business hours. Onboarding takes 24 hours, with no long-term contracts, no order minimums and a $0 setup fee. We integrate with Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and more. Learn about our DTC fulfillment service, or get a fulfillment quote.