The composite Ningbo Containerized Freight Index (NCFI) jumped 16.1 per cent from the previous week to 1,147.5 points in Week 10, reflecting heightened risks in the Red Sea.
Of the 21 trade lanes tracked by the index, 10 recorded higher freight rates, nine declined, and two remained unchanged.
Among major ports along the Maritime Silk Road, nine reported rising indices while seven saw decreases.
Freight rates to Europe and the Mediterranean declined as early March rate hikes by some carriers were offset by continued capacity oversupply. The NCFI for the Europe route fell 3.1 per cent to 956 points.
The Eastern Mediterranean index dropped 8.1 per cent to 1,115.7 points, while the Western Mediterranean route slipped 0.6 per cent to 1,334 points.
READ: CMA CGM reverts to Cape route amid Red Sea risks
On transpacific routes, demand lagged while capacity returned to the market, weighing on spot rates.
The Ningbo–US East Coast index fell 3.9 per cent to 908.4 points, while the US West Coast route declined 6.2 per cent to 1,081.6 points.
By contrast, safety concerns in the Red Sea pushed the Ningbo–Red Sea route index sharply higher. The index more than doubled, rising 104.2 per cent week on week to 3,230.4 points.
Separately, maritime consultancy Sea-Intelligence said a potential return to Suez Canal routing could trigger a rapid reset in Asia–Europe port connectivity, with Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean hubs likely to experience sudden surges in traffic after a prolonged downturn.
