Industry sources say China-US routes are at full capacity. Since May, East and South China slots have tightened with frequent cargo rollovers and June space largely sold out, reverting the trade to peak-season scarcity. In late April a 40-foot box from Ningbo to the US West Coast was quoted about $2,900 and to the US East Coast about $3,900; after several rounds of increases current rates are roughly $6,300 to the West Coast and $7,500 to the East Coast. Demand is supported by low US goods inven

Industry sources say China-US routes are at full capacity. Since May, East and South China slots have tightened with frequent cargo rollovers and June space largely sold out, reverting the trade to peak-season scarcity. In late April a 40-foot box from Ningbo to the US West Coast was quoted about $2,900 and to the US East Coast about $3,900; after several rounds of increases current rates are roughly $6,300 to the West Coast and $7,500 to the East Coast. Demand is supported by low US goods inventories and restocking; supply is constrained by Middle East tensions—more than 300,000 TEU tied up in the Persian Gulf—delayed Red Sea resumptions, vessel rerouting, slower turnaround and reduced speeds, which have lowered effective capacity and intensified the supply-demand imbalance.