Container rates on Asia-Europe routes surge past $4,200 per TEU as carriers extend Cape of Good Hope diversions into Q2.
As companies rush to diversify their supplier base, the financial reality of resilience investments becomes clearer. Average inventory carrying costs have risen $2.4M per enterprise since 2024, while dual-sourcing strategies add 15-22% to procurement overhead.
The container spot rate from Shanghai to Rotterdam currently sits at $3,847/TEU, down from the crisis peak but well above pre-pandemic norms of $1,200/TEU. Industry leaders are recalibrating what "normal" means for global logistics costs.