The container shipping market has entered the most polarized stretch of 2026. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) climbed for a sixth consecutive week on September 4 to 3,590.05 points, the highest reading since mid-July 2024, yet the strength sits on the trans-Pacific and intra-Asia lanes while Europe-bound rates keep sliding. Beneath the headlines, three operational stories will shape September for China shippers: transport-strike congestion at Chittagong, Golden Week blank-sailing programs from Maersk, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd, and fresh attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. This briefing serves importers and exporters moving cargo to Bangladesh, Israel, Africa and the Middle East.
Shanghai Shipping Exchange data released September 4 shows the SCFI composite up 80.52 points week on week (+2.29%) at 3,590.05 points — the sixth straight weekly gain and the strongest level in more than two years. The main lane movements:
| Trade Lane (Far East →) | Spot Rate | Weekly Change |
|---|---|---|
| US West Coast | $7,242 / FEU | **+4.35%** (+$302) |
| US East Coast | $10,324 / FEU | **+2.77%** (+$278) |
| Europe (base ports) | $2,643 / TEU | -2.69% |
| Mediterranean | $3,442 / TEU | -3.23% |
| Southeast Asia | $893 / TEU | **+12%** (+$97) |
The Drewry assessment of September 3 holds its World Container Index steady at $4,465 per 40 ft container, with Shanghai to Los Angeles up 5% to $7,185 and Shanghai to New York up 3% to $9,587, while Shanghai to Rotterdam and Shanghai to Genoa fell 5% and 10%. Two indices, one story: American demand keeps absorbing capacity; Europe does not. Drivers behind the US rally: factories rushing shipments before the October 1–8 Golden Week holiday, lingering typhoon congestion at East China ports, six blank sailings announced for the week ahead on the trans-Pacific (double the prior week, per Drewry capacity data), and Panama Canal restrictions capping transits at 34 per day in early September, falling to 32 later in the month, with Neo-Panamax slots limited to nine daily. Market quotes for the first half of September put the US West Coast at $7,500–$7,700 per FEU and the US East Coast near $11,000 per FEU.
The SCFI Southeast Asia component jumped 12% week on week to $893 per TEU, the largest increase of any lane in the index. Port congestion across East and Southeast Asia has slowed vessel turnarounds, shrinking effective feeder capacity. Because most cargo to Bangladesh, Africa and the Middle East connects through hubs such as Singapore, Port Klang and Colombo, tighter feeder space means later cut-offs and higher connecting costs. Book feeder space as early as you would book a mainline sailing.
Linerlytica now estimates blocked capacity at ports worldwide at more than 4.3 million TEU, an all-time high, with northern Asia the largest single congestion cluster. Chinese ports are still clearing the backlog left by Typhoon Saudel and earlier storms, and schedule reliability across alliances remains fragile — a fact worth remembering before relying on a single sailing for a deadline shipment.
The most urgent development for Bangladesh-bound cargo comes from the destination side. The Daily Star reports (September 5) that an unannounced transport strike, tied to student protests over road safety, pulled most truck and prime-mover capacity out of Chittagong Port and cut the delivery of import containers to a trickle. Key figures:
The Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association warned that the congestion hampers yard handling and risks delaying berthing for vessels at the outer anchorage. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association fears export boxes will miss connecting mother vessels at Singapore or Colombo, which could push buyers to demand discounts — or force exporters into costlier air freight. Port authorities have since met users and the situation is gradually improving. Even so, expect multi-day delivery delays and elevated demurrage risk at Chittagong through mid-September. Confirm the free-time allowance at destination for FCL shipments, and use air freight to Dhaka for urgent or high-value cargo.
Carriers have published concrete Golden Week capacity programs. The highlights from Maersk, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd:
All three lines say they will cover the gaps with alternative services and extra port calls, and customers can keep booking as usual. The practical effect: fewer choices and tighter space windows from September 28 to October 12. Shippers to Bangladesh and Africa, who often depend on transshipment via Singapore or Colombo, should confirm the connecting voyage rather than assuming the mainline sailing is enough.
For cargo to Israel and the Middle East, the risk picture has not improved. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued advisory 124 on September 1 after a tanker was struck by three missiles about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz; no injuries were reported. A separate UKMTO advisory the same day reported an incident involving a tanker and armed forces in the Indian Ocean. Regional reports also describe the interception of a Saudi-operated very large crude carrier in the southern strait on September 1, following Iranian Revolutionary Guard statements about a vessel that struck a mine on August 31 — a claim United States Central Command said it could not confirm.
War-risk premiums continue to underpin pricing on Middle East and Red Sea routings. Israel-bound cargo can move either via the Suez Canal (faster, with a premium) or around the Cape of Good Hope (slower, longer). Verify the routing of your booking twice: at booking, and again 48 hours before departure, because carriers can change routings quickly when risk levels shift.
Contact Spider Logistics today for a fresh September quote — and a Golden Week shipping plan before capacity tightens.
Tags: Freight Market Update 2026 | SCFI | Container Shipping Rates | Chittagong Port | Golden Week Blank Sailings | China to Bangladesh | Strait of Hormuz