The latest SCFI index released by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange on the 20th fell 5.76%, with European and Mediterranean routes falling the most. The index has fallen for the fifth consecutive week, and more than 100 voyages will be cancelled in the next five weeks.

Due to concerns about possible strikes and slowdowns at U.S. East and Gulf of Mexico terminals on October 1, cargo owners generally adopted conservative strategies, resulting in a large number of goods originally planned to be shipped to U.S. East being diverted to U.S. West routes to avoid potential risks, which to a certain extent eased the downward pressure on freight rates on the U.S. West Line. At the same time, in response to potential strike risks, several shipping companies have announced plans to impose a surcharge on the U.S. East and Mexico Bay routes to make up for possible increased operating costs.