Golden Week Blanks Hit 15, and Shanghai-LA Rates Still Rose 2%

Carriers pulled the trigger on Golden Week. Fifteen transpacific blank sailings are now on the schedule for the week ahead, up from nine, and Drewry still expects rates to fall. But the September 24 World Container Index assessment tells a subtler story than the blanking schedule suggests: the composite moved just 1% to $4,468 per 40ft container, and the only headhaul lane that rose was the one carriers are cutting hardest. Shanghai to Los Angeles gained 2% to $7,838, a ninth straight week inside a $7,200 to $7,900 band while the rest of the map slides.

Key Takeaways Drewry's World Container Index slipped 1% to $4,468 per 40ft container in the September 24, 2026 assessment, and has now traded…