Live Shipping Price Tracker
Track container shipping prices from China to US ports in real time. Interactive freight rate chart with historical data from 2020–2026, powered by Freightos FBX and Drewry WCI benchmarks.
Shenzhen → Los Angeles · Current Rate
USD per 40ft container (FEU). Source: Freightos Baltic Index / Drewry WCI (March 2026).
Current: Monitoring
2026-03-18Rates easing from the initial Iran spike. FBX Shenzhen→LA at ~$2,950/FEU, down from $3,350 peak. Carriers cautiously resuming normal schedules. Market watching for further Strait of Hormuz developments.
Rates Easing (-5%)
2026-03-14First signs of rate correction. Carriers confirm no Hormuz disruption — oil tanker traffic flowing normally. Bunker fuel down 8% from peak. Booking activity returning to pre-crisis levels.
Peak Iran Spike (+40%)
2026-03-07Peak of Iran spike: rates hit $3,350/FEU Shenzhen→LA (+40% in one week). Oil at $102/barrel. Carriers adding war risk surcharges. Panic booking drives spot rates higher.
US-Israel / Iran Strikes
2026-03-01US-Israel strikes on Iran kill Supreme Leader Khamenei. Strait of Hormuz threat spikes rates immediately. Oil surges past $100/barrel. Bunker fuel up 18%.
Tariff Ruling (Supreme Court)
2026-02Supreme Court upholds IEEPA tariff authority. Market adjusts to new tariff baseline on Chinese imports. Rates stable at $2,200/FEU.
IEEPA Tariffs
2025-01IEEPA tariffs + Section 122 (15% global) take effect. Front-loading creates temporary demand spike.
Red Sea / Houthi Crisis
2024-01Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping force rerouting around Cape of Good Hope, adding 10–14 days and $2,000+/FEU.
Rates Normalize
2022-09Demand collapse + new vessel capacity deliveries. Rates crash to pre-COVID levels within 6 months.
Peak Freight Crisis
2021-09Peak congestion: 100+ ships anchored outside LA/LB. Rates hit $15,000/FEU — a 10x increase from 2019.
Suez Canal Blocked
2021-03Ever Given blocks the Suez Canal for 6 days, disrupting 12% of global trade and worsening container shortage.
COVID-19 Pandemic
2020-03Global lockdowns crush demand, then create supply-chain whiplash. Container prices surge 3x in 6 months.
🟡 Update (March 18): Iran Spike Easing
After the initial 40% rate spike following US-Israel strikes on Iran (March 1–2), freight rates are showing signs of correction. The Strait of Hormuz remains open with normal oil tanker traffic. Bunker fuel has pulled back 8% from the $102/barrel peak. Carriers are cautiously removing war risk surcharges on some routes. Current Shenzhen→LA: ~$2,950/FEU (down from $3,350 peak).
Container shipping rates from Shenzhen peaked at $14,800 per 40ft container during the 2021 COVID crisis — a 10x increase from pre-pandemic levels. After normalizing through 2022–2023, rates spiked again in 2024 due to Red Sea disruptions.
March 2026 snapshot: Rates stabilized at $2,200/FEU in February, spiked to $3,350 on March 7 (Iran crisis), and are now easing to ~$2,950/FEU. The outlook depends on whether Iran disruptions escalate or de-escalate in the coming weeks. Carriers are holding capacity steady — no blank sailings announced.
Advice for importers: Book now at current rates before Q2 peak season demand kicks in (April–May). Lock in multi-shipment contracts if possible. Consider LCL for smaller shipments to reduce exposure.
📊 Freight Rate Trends in 2026: Iran Crisis, Tariff Shifts & What Smart Importers Are Doing
In-depth analysis · Rate forecasts · Cost-saving strategies · 15 min read
Read the full analysisWhat is FEU? Understanding Container Pricing
FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit) is the standard pricing unit for ocean container freight. One FEU equals one 40-foot (12.2m) shipping container — the most common size for international cargo.
When you see "$2,950/FEU" on this page, it means the cost to ship one 40-foot container from the selected origin to destination port. This does not include customs duties, port handling fees, or last-mile delivery.
TEU vs FEU: A TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) is a 20-foot container. 1 FEU = 2 TEU. Most China-to-US shipments use 40ft containers because the per-CBM cost is 15-25% lower than 20ft.
Container Quick Reference
| Spec | 20ft (TEU) | 40ft (FEU) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6.1m (20ft) | 12.2m (40ft) |
| Capacity | ~33 CBM | ~67 CBM |
| Max Payload | ~21,700 kg | ~26,500 kg |
| Typical Cost | ~60% of FEU | 100% (base) |
See our Glossary for more shipping terms: TEU, CBM, FOB, CIF, and 170+ definitions.
Data Sources & Methodology
Rates compiled from Freightos Baltic Index (FBX), Drewry World Container Index (WCI), and Xeneta XSI. Base route: Shenzhen → Los Angeles, with multipliers for other origin/destination pairs derived from carrier rate card differentials. Rates represent spot market averages and may differ from contract rates. Updated weekly — last update: March 2026, Week 4.