After the holiday shipment situation has failed to meet market expectations, shipping giant MSC and other shipping companies have recently orally notified the freight forwarder, will maintain the current American line freight quote until April 14. The industry believes that MSC, as the world's largest shipping company with a market share of nearly 20%, obviously hopes to improve the loading rate and seize the source of cargo through this move.

    In the case of MSC and other shipping companies clearly stated that they would not raise prices, the subsequent dynamics of other shipping companies have become the focus of market attention.

    Freight forwarding industry sources said that although the number of goods in the United States has increased after the year, the problem of excess supply of shipping capacity still exists, and shipping companies can only be cautious. The freight rate not only needs to consider the acceptance of the shippers, but also needs the tacit cooperation of all parties in the industry. Once a shipping company adopts the strategy of bargain and grab goods, freight rates may be loosened.

    The shipping industry had expected a wave of shipment effects from the traditional post-year resumption of shipments and a rise in freight rates at the end of March and the end of the first quarter. However, this expectation did not materialize, and the planned price increase in March eventually fell through. Now the market is looking to April. In April last year, there was a small increase in freight rates, and it is understood that MSC, Evergreen and other companies have reported April 1 per 40 feet container increase of $2,000 plans, Yangming and other companies reported a rise of $1,000.

    However, with current freight rates relatively high compared with the same period last year, further increases are difficult. According to the quotation of a number of freight forwarders, the freight rate of each 40-foot container on the West line is about $3000-3200 this week. Still, Maersk, another shipping giant, had lowered its offer to $2,800 at the end of March, with a cancellation fee of $200, suggesting that rates on the West American route were narrowly crossing the $3,000 mark.

    The industry generally believes that although the market has fully resumed work, inflation in Europe and the United States has not declined significantly, and interest rates are still high, which continues to affect consumption power.

    The current market volume is not enough to support freight rates, resulting in a downward trend in freight rates after the year.

    Judging from the current market conditions, it is still difficult to change this situation in the first half of April. It is expected that freight rates are likely to be flat or slightly revised, and the recovery of market demand will be a key factor in determining the trend of freight rates.