SPOT rates for shipping containers from Asia to northern Europe in the week ending Friday dropped 4.5 per cent to US$969 per TEU, according to the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI).

Asia-Mediterranean trade fell 4.7 per cent to $906 per TEU, American Shipper reported.

Asia to the US west coast declined 3.3 per cent week over week to $1,333 per FEU while those to the east coast slipped 2.1 per cent to $2,307 per FEU.