Freightos Baltic: US-bound rates climbed on 90-day tariff pause

Freight rates on US-bound lanes rose, buoyed by early-month GRI’s and frontloading activity in response to Washington’s 90-day suspension of most reciprocal tariffs. However, performance at the port-pair level diverged, with signals emerging of softening demand from China, where the imposition of a 145% US tariff continued to weigh on export sentiment.

Rates on the Asia–US East Coast route rose for a third straight week, marking a 9.09% gain over the period. Meanwhile, its West Coast counterpart also extended its upward trend into a second consecutive week, culminating in a cumulative increase of 12.7%.

Still, analysts warned that the recovery may be temporary, cautioning that frontloading may lose momentum ahead of 8 July, when deferred tariffs are set to snap back into effect.

Meanwhile, Asia–Europe lanes continued to face pressure, as seasonal softness and surplus vessel capacity dominated sentiment.

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