Asia to West Coast container rates are running at three times last year's level as the G20 questions China's export push
The Wall Street Journal's Logistics Report of September 3, 2026 reported that the Group of 20 issued a statement implicitly criticising China's reliance on exports for growth, noting a record $1.2 trillion Chinese trade surplus last year with exports up 5.5 percent, and that no other government has matched US tariffs. The edition's number of the day put the Freightos Baltic Index rate for a 40 foot container from Asia to the US West Coast for the week ended August 28 at more than three times the year ago level, up 2 percent on the week. It also reported Delivery Hero advising shareholders to accept a $14.8 billion takeover bid from Uber, the FMCSA sending a freight broker transparency rule to the White House for review, and some shipping lines returning to the Suez Canal as weather related congestion limits capacity.
- 3x Asia To US West Coast Rate, Versus A Year Ago
- $1.2tn China Trade Surplus, 2025
- $14.8bn Uber Offer For Delivery Hero
Inbound cost is up threefold and the goods are still coming. Landed cost decisions at ocean rates three times last year's push inventory positioning, consolidation and domestic transport choices downstream, so network planning and cost engineering suppliers are selling into a decision the retailer has to make before peak inventory lands. A broker transparency rule under White House review changes the information balance between shippers, brokers and carriers, and the buyers in the room will ask how a price survives disclosure. On demand delivery keeps consolidating at global scale, so buyers using gig capacity should expect fewer, larger counterparties and plan their contracts accordingly.