BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR -- Transpacific container freight rates avoided a reactionary spike after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods last week, helped by seasonal factors and an anticipatory surge in exports at the end of last year.
Trade war
Front-loading and tariffs depress freight rates for Southeast Asian shippers
Pre-Trump export rush prevents immediate spike in container transportation prices
Containers are loaded onto a ship at Saigon Port in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Transpacific shipment costs have continued to fall in early 2025 despite U.S. President Donald Trump imposing new tariffs on China. © AP
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