Global shipping costs are skyrocketing. Shipping company's performance swaggers, while foreign trade export industry, it may be said is more difficult.

The freight between China and the United States broke a new high of $20,000, up by 500% !

When rates soared in August and September last year, shippers were already shouting "prices are going crazy" and "records are breaking", and they are still breaking records. As the US shopping season gets under way, the cost of shipping a container from China to the US is now above $20,000 for a 40 TEU container, an all-time high and up more than 500 per cent from a year ago. The latest china-Europe fare is close to $14,000.  

"We haven't seen anything like this in the shipping industry for over 30 years," said Drewry managing Director Philip Damas.  He added that it was expected that such "extreme rates" would continue until the Chinese New Year in 2022.  

Delays at the West Coast ports have resurfaced because of the outbreak and weather conditions.  The latest AIS data on Monday showed about 30 ships anchored in San Pedro Bay off the shores of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Maersk is warning customers of serious delays.  Maersk told customers that conditions in Southern California had "worsened", with the number of ships moored doubling in the past few weeks.  

In addition, on the US East Coast and southeast, trucks was delayed by up to two weeks, container holdup time increased and chassis supply difficulties were further encountered, the carrier said.  Rail congestion further delays in the delivery of GOODS imported from the US and empty containers flowing back to Asia.  

According to Danish shipping lines, the average time containers stay in the United States has increased by 35 percent, which translates to a 35 percent reduction in overall capacity.

In addition, the current EPIDEMIC in the United States is also very serious, repeat last winter epidemic peak situation, the United States companies have been scheduled to return to work in September, which have been postponed now. The delayed retaliatory spending will also extend the container shipping season to the fourth quarter.