China-US cargo routes bustle again

Rising demand, tariff cuts lead to revival of orders, increase in trade volumes

Container ships departing from China for the United States are once again experiencing a surge in demand, with space fully booked and orders lining up through June, said forwarders and executives of shipping companies.

They said the primary factor driving this uptick is a notable increase in demand for the US routes. In addition, the announcement made by China and the US on May 12 to mutually lower tariffs provided a much-needed boost, spurring many previously cautious businesses to take actions and revive suspended orders.

When Washington announced tariff increases in early April, a large number of US companies chose to delay their purchasing plans rather than cancel orders outright, said Jiang Lei, executive director of Zhejiang Xinqiaoyuan International Logistics, a forwarder based in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province.