APAC freight market update — December 2025

Spot rates on Shanghai → Sydney softened by ~3% week-on-week as post-peak season demand normalised. East-coast vessel utilisation remains in the mid-80s.

Two carriers have announced GRI attempts for mid-January — historically these stick at 40–60% of the published amount on AU trades. We recommend pre-booking critical cargo for the first half of January.

Origin local charges in South China continue to climb. We're seeing a 6% lift in THC + documentation fees vs. October. Push for fixed-charge schedules in tender responses, not floating rates.