Dongguan City, Guangdong Province,China.-September 20, 2026
Just as September begins, the shipping market is once again turning “turbulent.”
On one hand, peak-season stockpiling is gradually picking up, and cargo volumes are starting to recover; on the other hand, typhoons, port congestion, vessel omissions, and schedule delays are occurring one after another.
The result?
Before you’ve even shipped much, vessel schedules are already in disarray; just when schedules begin to stabilize, space tightens; and once space finally becomes available, freight rates start climbing again.
Entering September, the international ocean freight market as a whole remains highly volatile.
Routes to Southeast Asia, the East Coast of South America, the Middle East, and the Red Sea continue to see significant fluctuations; some European and Mediterranean markets are showing adjustments; and while the Africa route remains relatively stable overall, there is still a possibility of another round of rate hikes before the National Day holiday.
For foreign trade companies, the most critical thing in September is this:
Whether your cargo can secure a booking -and whether it can be loaded onto the vessel as scheduled.
- Southeast Asia Routes
Since the beginning of September, freight rates on multiple Southeast Asia routes have shown an upward trend.
However, what is now causing even more headaches for shippers than the price hikes themselves is the cascading impact of port congestion, vessel omissions, typhoon disruptions, and earlier schedule delays.
Currently, the situation is as follows:
- Philippines routes:space rates are rising
- Thailand and Vietnam routes:prices remain high, and bookings need to be made well in advance
- Singapore-Malaysia (Sin-Ma) routes:space is tightening
- Indonesia routes:after some carriers raised rates, space has become increasingly tight
- Ho Chi Minh City and Sihanoukville:overall prices are trending upward
At the same time, earlier delays at Shanghai and Ningbo have also affected vessel schedules at ports such as Nansha, and some ports have begun to enforce stricter gate-in and customs clearance cut-off arrangements.
For shipments to Vietnam in particular, it is no longer advisable to adopt a “wait-until-close-to-sailing-date” approach to booking.
- Middle East-India-Pakistan Routes
The Middle East routes remain a key focus of market attention.
Major carriers such as MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, KMTC, and EMC continue to actively adjust their capacity deployments in the region, with overall freight rates still hovering at relatively high levels.
For some Middle Eastern ports that require transshipment, freight rates have already exceeded the USD 10,000 mark.
Moreover, changes in the Middle East market are also having a spillover effect on neighboring routes, including those to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
In particular:
- Engineering equipment
- Chemical products
- Auto parts
- Textile raw materials
…for these commodities, demand remains relatively inelastic and resilient.
As a result, freight rates on routes to India-Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other destinations continue to find solid support.
- Europe-Mediterranean Routes
Compared with the strong performance on the Middle East and Southeast Asia routes, the European and Mediterranean markets are currently showing a certain degree of adjustment.
On the Europe routes, overall space is relatively ample in the first half of September, with some carriers even offering promotional rates.
The Mediterranean market, however, is showing some divergence.
Some direct routes continue to see relatively high freight rates, while certain sailings have experienced blank sailings and schedule adjustments.
Particular attention should be paid to:
Late September and the period leading up to the National Day holiday.
With foreign trade enterprises rushing to ship goods before the holiday, coupled with carriers’ capacity and schedule adjustments, the market may see a new wave of booking demand.
So, while the Europe-Mediterranean routes are not as “frantic” as they were a few months ago, don’t let your guard down just yet.
- US-Canada Routes
The North American market is currently showing an interesting situation:
Cargo volume is not as strong as before, but freight rates have not dropped significantly.
The reasons are not complicated. On one hand, end-user shipping demand has weakened somewhat; on the other hand, carriers continue to implement capacity adjustments, while routing costs remain relatively high.
Currently:
- US West Coast:space is relatively available.
- US East Coast:due to factors such as routing, canal transit, and transportation costs, rates still find support.
- Canada:overall rates remain high, with some space relatively tight.
- Central & South America Routes
In early September, the South American market began to show clear signs of divergence.
West Coast South America
The earlier upward momentum has moderated. High freight rates have started to affect the shipping appetite of some downstream factories, and a number of shippers have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
To put it simply: prices are too high, and even shippers are now saying “let’s wait and see.”
East Coast South America
The situation here is completely different. The demand for shipping new energy vehicles (NEVs) and related electromechanical equipment is providing solid support for East Coast South America routes. Some carriers continue to push for further rate increases, and on popular sailings it has even reached the point where “having cargo ready doesn’t guarantee space availability.”
Therefore, for the East Coast South America routes, it is still advisable to book space early and confirm sailing schedules in advance.
Overall, South America remains in a rising rate environment. Demand on South American routes is still relatively strong in the short term. Special attention should be paid to the space pressure resulting from concentrated pre-holiday shipments before the National Day holiday.
- Red Sea Service
The Red Sea routes still require close attention and should not be taken lightly.
Overall freight rates remain at relatively high levels, and the specific port calls must be assessed dynamically based on the local situation on the ground.
Congestion at Jeddah Port continues to be a concern that deserves special attention.
Therefore, enterprises shipping on these routes must be mindful of the following:
Don’t just look at the destination port price -make sure you check exactly which ports the carrier will actually call at, how the routing is arranged, and whether transshipment is involved.
Given the regional situation, the biggest risk on the Red Sea routes right now is not simply “high prices” -it is that both risk factors and transit times are highly unpredictable.
- Japan-Korea Routes
Compared with the turmoil on other routes, the Japan-Korea market is currently relatively calm.
Overall:
- Cargo supply is ample, and freight rates remain relatively stable.
- Some direct services still require advance booking for space, but no significant abnormal fluctuations have been observed across the market.
If you have shipment plans to Japan or Korea, simply arrange them in advance according to your normal schedule.
- Africa Routes
The Africa routes showed a relatively mixed performance in September.
Currently:
- West Africa and South Africa:freight rates have seen a certain degree of decline.
- East Africa:overall remains relatively stable.
On some East Africa routes, it is even possible to book NOR containers, with fairly attractive rates and relatively ample space available in the first half of the month.
However, attention should be paid to the following:
A wave of concentrated shipments is likely to occur in the week before the National Day holiday.
Once cargo volumes are released in bulk, carriers may once again adjust their rates and space availability.
Therefore, for the Africa routes, it is advisable to choose an appropriate shipping window now. However, if your cargo is scheduled to be loaded before the National Day holiday, it is still recommended that you arrange it as early as possible.
September Shipping Recommendations
- Book space well in advanceDue to frequent typhoons, port congestion, and vessel omissions, severe space shortages are occurring on routes to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central/South America. All cargo should be arranged as early as possible.
- Be alert to rate hikes before the holidayWatch for price rebounds toward the end of the month and before the National Day holiday. Multiple ports continue to experience congestion, so be sure to verify vessel schedules before shipping.
- Prioritize space for high-value cargoStrictly manage delivery risk. Vessel schedules are highly unpredictable during September–October. For high-value, time-sensitive cargo, give priority to space booking and consider purchasing cargo insurance.
- Complete pre-holiday shipping arrangements by mid-SeptemberWith the National Day holiday approaching, the peak of space crunch will hit in mid-to-late September. Try to finalize your pre-holiday shipping schedule by mid-September to avoid the risks of no space, delays, and surcharges.
Closing Remarks
September shipping market in a nutshell:
Not all routes are seeing rate increases, but “schedule chaos” is becoming a common variable affecting both freight rates and delivery reliability.
CHOHELP International Logistics-with 22 years of hands-on experience in international freight-can provide customized shipping solutions tailored to your cargo type and delivery deadlines.
If you have shipment plans, feel free to reach out to us!
Source: The route market conditions, space availability, and vessel schedule assessments in this article are based on publicly available industry data and market intelligence.
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