The Financial Times, citing experts, revealed that global shipping costs have risen to unprecedented record levels in the last two years.
This comes as the United States is about to implement a new round of tariffs.
According to the digital platform "Fritus" which specializes in shipping data, shipping rates on routes between Asia and the East Coast of the United States, as well as between Asia and Europe, reached their highest levels since the summer of 2024 during the past week.
The data showed that the cost of shipping a standard 40-foot container on the China-US East Coast route jumped to $7,880, marking a 62% increase compared to the previous month.
Shipping costs between China and the Mediterranean region also increased by 47% to reach $6,431.
The largest shipowners' association, PIMCO, commented on the increase, stating in a press release that "uncertainty surrounding customs duties and ship fuel costs has prompted importers to accelerate the loading of goods, particularly in the United States, resulting in a sharp jump in freight rates."
Juda Levine, an official at the "Freetus" platform, explained that customers and shipping companies are bringing forward shipping dates to earlier periods, in an effort to avoid any potential disruptions during the summer, as well as to avoid the rise in fuel prices resulting from the ongoing tensions in the Middle East region.
Washington had previously announced its intention to impose new tariffs of 10% or 12.5%, starting next July, on products imported from about 60 countries.
This decision was based on the findings of an investigation that began last March into the laws and regulations in those countries relating to the importation of goods allegedly produced using forced labor.
It is noted that this investigation was launched under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes the US president to take all necessary measures to counter what Washington considers to be restrictions imposed on its national trade by other countries.
