Container shipping companies are heading for a strong third quarter as ocean freight rates keep climbing, good news for shipping lines and their investors but a rising cost for importers.

• The main Shanghai export freight index rose again for the sixth week in a row, hitting its highest level since mid-2024.
• Rates on routes to the US East Coast have held above $10,000 per big container, while US West Coast routes are above $7,000.
• Port congestion, low water levels in the Panama Canal, and peak shipping season demand are pushing prices up.
• Europe and Mediterranean routes are the weak spot, falling for nine straight weeks.
• Short-haul Southeast Asia rates jumped sharply, the biggest weekly gain of any route.

Outlook: If US-bound rates stay high through the peak season, shipping lines should post solid third-quarter profits, though softness in Europe could cap the gains.