DHL Ocean Freight Market Update – March 2025

Asia Pacific export lanes are expected to outgrow the global average.

Long-term global container trade is expected to grow 3.6 percent on average per annum from 2024 to 2028, although growth rates anticipated to slow in coming years.
Global container trade is expected to grow by 4.3 percent in 2025 with Asia Pacific export lanes outgrowing the global average.
Port congestion in Europe worsening due to national strike in BE & labor disputes at ECT Rotterdam.
Continued rate volatility expected from service disruptions from Alliance reshuffling and worsening port congestion.
Rates dropping across all trades. The SCFI has decreased by 19 percent and the WCI by 14 percent since the start of the year.

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