In early October, the Shanghai Shipping Exchange's SCFI put China-to-Kansai rates at USD 328 per TEU and China-to-Kanto at USD 333 per TEU, edging up week over week. The CCFI Japan lane index stood at 1030.85 points, up 1.0%, extending its firm peak-season trend.
On the spot market, FCL reference rates from major China ports to Japan base ports run about USD 360-440 for a 20GP and USD 585-715 for a 40GP, both up from September. LCL light cargo is around USD 10/CBM and air freight (1000kg+) about USD 1.5/kg. Ningbo offers direct fast sailings to Tokyo, Nagoya and Yokohama in roughly 4-6 days.
On capacity, the July-October peak season combined with Japan's domestic logistics labor shortage has led to more fully-booked sailings, and several carriers have applied Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) since August. Rising fuel costs may also trigger additional BAF adjustments.
Our advice: book 7-10 days ahead to secure space, and compare FCL vs LCL and fast vs regular sailings for each shipment. Use the Ruiyutong rate calculator for published rates or contact our team for the latest space and schedules.
We hold stable allocations from Nansha, Shenzhen and Shanghai to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and other major Japanese ports — 3-7 days by air, 10-18 days by LCL, 9-10 days by FCL, with customs clearance and door delivery available.