European shipping companies' "price hike" announcements are highly aggressive, but actual implementation in early March has been limited. Investors are advised not to blindly chase after the highs.

Nanhua Futures Energy & Chemical analyst Song Jipeng said that in recent days, driven by geopolitical developments, the container shipping index (Europe route) futures market has seen relatively large gains. However, based on how European-route spot freight rates have landed, it appears that any price increases announced by shipping companies may fall short of expectations.

Although some shipping companies have publicly and loudly announced a rate increase for the second half of March on the European route, the industry’s “stabilizing anchor” Maersk (MSK) has shown extreme restraint in its quotation. Its opening rate for the third week of March is only $2,200 per FEU.

This divergence in quotations reveals strategic differences among shipping companies under a weak-season backdrop. Against the context of March’s traditional off-season, the slow pace of factory restart, and no obvious increase in cargo volume, there are significant doubts as to whether these high rates can actually win shipper buy-in—and what the final settlement outcome will be.

Some alliances, in order to secure cargo, are still offering special rates of $1,800 per FEU, which directly reflects the true pressure in the market. With market volatility currently high, investors are advised to trade rationally and strictly control risk.