A spot check by the Business Daily shows that the average shipment charges on a 40-foot container from China had breached the Sh646,000-mark, up from about Sh430,800 in March initially as traders scrambled for the few available containers. The latest rise means freight charges have jumped 95 per cent since December.
“The freight rates have increased to some extent with some additional charges being incurred. For instance, due to scarcity of empty containers globally, the freight rates, especially from China to East Africa have gone up from the initial Sh430,800 ($4,000) per 40ft container to almost Sh646,200 ($6,000),” Siginon Group managing director Meshack Kipturgo told the Business Daily.