CONTAINER spot rates from Asia to the US west coast spiked, ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday February 1, reports London's Loadstar.
Drewry's WCI US west coast component put on five per cent, to US$11,197 per FEU, while the Freightos Baltic Index (FBX), which includes an element of premium fees, gained 3.5 per cent, to $15,139.
For the US east coast, there were mixed messages from the spot indices, with the WCI up two per cent on the week, to $13,987 per FEU, in contrast to the FBX reading which declined 2.5 per cent, to $17,023.
In a customer advisory, Maersk said there could be enough labour available to keep production ticking over during the New Year's holiday and thus would not be reducing services in the immediate post-New Year period.
"Instead, we will maintain our routine activity levels during the slow period following the holiday to address some of the most notable schedule reliability issues," said the carrier.
Elsewhere, spot rates from Asia to North Europe were largely flat last week, according to the WCI and FBX, at $14,053 and $14,458 per FEU respectively, although Xeneta's XSI recorded a drop of four per cent in its North Europe component to $14,525.
The decision by Maersk and other carriers to exclude small and mid-sized shippers from contract agreements has led to other lines increasing their short-term rates to the sector.