Daily Industry Briefing
The three stories picked out today will affect the freight you pay, whether you can book a container, and how much of a headache your tax filing will be next year. US East Coast rates jumped 7% this week alone, pushing past USD10,000 per container. Chinese factories are making their final push to ship before the National Day holiday, and shipping lines have already started cutting sailings. Meanwhile, Malaysian SMEs are calling for simpler SST and e-invoicing filing, which affects your compliance costs down the road.
Three Things Today
1. US East Coast Rates Jump 7% in a Week to Break USD10,000, While European Routes Fall Faster
This week's Drewry World Container Index (WCI) shows Shanghai to New York rates rose 7% in a week to USD10,394 per 40ft container, breaking the USD10,000 mark for the first time since the late pandemic period
The Loadstar 路 2026-09-18 路 Read Original ↗
2. China's Golden Week Approaches: 78 Blanked Sailings Planned, Maersk Already Announces One Route Suspension
Maersk announced that the final sailing of its transpacific TPX extra loader service will depart from Cai Mep, Vietnam on September 29, after which the entire route will be suspended for the whole of Q4
The Loadstar 路 2026-09-17 路 Read Original ↗
3. Malaysian SMEs Speak Up: SST and E-Invoice Filing Too Complicated, Hope Government Will Simplify
Industry representatives told the government that the hotel sector's SST rate is currently capped at 8%, but since its cost structure differs from other industries, they are calling for this rate to be reviewed
Malay Mail 路 2026-09-17 路 Read Original ↗
HASTE Take
The scramble for US route ships and containers will squeeze your Southeast Asia space and containers first
You might wonder what US East Coast rates hitting USD10,394 has to do with your LCL shipment from Shenzhen to Malaysia. The connection is that it's the same ships and containers. When shipping lines find that a container to the US East Coast earns more money, they'll prioritize sending ships and empty containers there, especially this week when US route rates jumped 7% in a single week, making them far more profitable than sailing to Europe. The result is fewer sailings and empty containers left for Southeast Asia routes. When you go to book, you'll find the schedule tighter, and empty containers arriving at your warehouse may also be delayed.
This is a condensed version. The full briefing, with every key point, the cost comparison table and the recommended actions, is published on the Haste website:
The above content is compiled from public reports. For actual freight rates, space availability, and tax regulations, please refer to the latest announcements from shipping lines, Malaysian Customs, and the Inland Revenue Board.
