Shanghai freight drops 1.46 % and ends a four-week streak of increases

Main image: container ship and cranes at a port in Vancouver, Canada (illustrative image). Photo: Albert Stoynov / Unsplash.

November 6, 2026. The Shanghai Shipping Exchange's container freight index (SCFI) fell 53.9 points and closed the week at 3,633.45 points, a 1.46 % drop. This ended the streak of four consecutive weekly increases that we had reported at the end of October. According to the financial portal Cnyes, it is the lowest level of the index since mid-September.

For a Mexican company importing from China, the data means freight remains expensive, but it has stopped rising for now. Our take: this is a good time to review quotes and departure dates before year-end and the Chinese New Year.

Shanghai freight to the United States and Europe: figures by route

According to the Taiwanese daily Economic Daily News, which published the index breakdown the same Friday, these were the week's rates:

• Far East to the U.S. West Coast: $7,381 per 40-foot container, $98 less (−1.31 %).
• Far East to the U.S. East Coast: 9,857 dollars per 40-foot container, 342 dollars less (−3.35 %).
• Far East to Northern Europe: 2,325 dollars per 20-foot container, 45 dollars less (−1.89 %).
• Far East to the Mediterranean: 3,393 dollars per 20-foot container, 43 dollars more (+1.28 %).

The same day, the Shanghai exchange reported that the China export freight index (CCFI) rose 0.3 % to 1,881.82 points.

Why sea freight fell in November

The freight forwarders quoted by Cnyes attribute the drop to seasonality: November is usually a month of fewer shipments, once goods for Thanksgiving and Christmas have already left. In Europe, according to the same outlet, weak demand points to stable rates at low levels.

For routes to the United States, both those agents and the industry cited by Economic Daily News expect high rates. Both outlets mention port congestion, rail delays, and little space on ships, and Cnyes adds that shipping lines still control their capacity. For reference, Cnyes reports that MSC's November FAK rates are around $9,200 per 40-foot container to the U.S. West Coast and $13,247 to the U.S. East Coast.

There is a local factor to watch. According to Cnyes and Economic Daily News, transit restrictions for the APEC summit in Shenzhen may slow shipments from southern China. Shenzhen authorities will limit cargo truck traffic from November 16 to 20, so goods from Guangdong factories that must reach the port on those days need to leave earlier.

China-Mexico opportunity: quote now and ship before Chinese New Year

A pause in rate increases gives room to negotiate. If you plan to import machinery, spare parts, packaging or security equipment from China for the first quarter of 2027, these weeks are a good time to close price and production date with your supplier.

The timeline is tight. The 2027 Chinese New Year falls on February 6, and Maersk has already asked its customers to book early. Chinese factories usually close or reduce shifts around the holiday. An order confirmed in November is more likely to ship on time than one closed in January.

Some practical steps:

• Request quotes with DDP pricing (delivered to Mexico with duties paid) to compare total cost, not just freight.
• Confirm the ex-factory departure date with the supplier and leave a buffer if the cargo comes from the Shenzhen area.
• Inspect before shipping: in our experience, fixing a defect in Mexico costs more than detecting it at origin.

At Ciaespinoza.com we help you with that process. Our quotation and supplier search in China costs 1,737.68 pesos and the 8-hour factory quality inspection costs 6,243.12 pesos, both including IVA (VAT) according to the store as of November 8, 2026. You can see all services under Services in China.

What to watch in the coming weeks

The next SCFI index will be published on Friday, November 13. Before that, on Thursday, November 12, Drewry's global container index comes out. In the United States, the negotiation deadline for the port security guards in Los Angeles and Long Beach was extended to November 20, a fact that also affects transpacific rates.

If you want to review a quotation or plan a shipment from China, write to us on WhatsApp at +1 (555) 967-3577 or by email at info@ciaespinoza.com.

Sources: Economic Daily News, “SCFI 運價指數終止連4漲” (November 6, 2026); Cnyes, “〈航運指數〉11月淡季出貨放緩 歐美線運價兩樣情” (November 6, 2026); FX678 with data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange (November 6, 2026); Shanghai Shipping Exchange, SCFI index (accessed November 8, 2026).