Transpacific Rates Up Another 4%, New E-commerce Law Could Be Approved as Early as October, US Transshipment Allegations Gain Traction: August 22 Briefing
Daily Industry Briefing
Today's three stories each hit a different point: one is about freight rates and vessel space — the transpacific route continues to strengthen and blank sailings are increasing, affecting feeder vessel space and cut-off times from South China to Port Klang; one is about tax and platform rules — Malaysia's new e-commerce law could be approved as early as October, with cross-border sellers' and platforms' responsibilities to be written into the legislation; one is about customs clearance and country of origin — after the White House transshipment report named Malaysia, industry players are calling for line-by-line verification of documentation. Together, these three stories determine your next shipment's freight cost, tax base, and inspection probability.
Today's Top 3
1. Drewry's WCI Rises 4% Week-on-Week to USD4,526/FEU, Transpacific Demand Stays Strong
Composite index rose 4% to USD4,526 per 40-foot container; Shanghai–Los Angeles rose 9% to USD6,802, Shanghai–New York rose 9% to USD9,507
Global Trade Magazine · 2026-08-21 · Read Original ↗
2. Anwar: Speed Up New E-commerce Legislation, Could Be Approved as Early as Early October
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government is reviewing e-commerce-related regulations, with the new law possibly approved as early as early October
The Star · 2026-08-20 · Read Original ↗
3. Industry Calls for Independent Review of US Transshipment Allegations
A report by the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy listed Malaysia among more than 40 economies with transshipment tax-avoidance risk
Free Malaysia Today · 2026-08-21 · Read Original ↗
HASTE Take
US route vessel space, Malaysia's tax base, and document traceability — this week, three links in the same chain
The US route numbers themselves don't matter to you — vessel space allocation does. WCI rose 4% to USD4,526/FEU, Shanghai–Los Angeles rose 9% week-on-week to USD6,802, with 7 blank sailings next week, and August capacity from Asia to the US East Coast cut 9% month-on-month. When per-container revenue on the mainline is this high, carriers prioritize protecting US route vessel space, container turnover, and port berthing windows — feeder space and empty container repositioning between South China and Port Klang/Penang get pushed down the priority list. Add to this the average berthing wait of 32.3 hours at Shanghai in week 33, and once cargo misses the cut-off, it's usually not a three-day delay but a full missed sailing.
This is a condensed version. The full briefing, with every key point, the cost comparison table and the recommended actions, is published on the Haste website:
The data and policy information cited in this article are sourced from public reports and are for reference only. Actual tax rates, customs clearance requirements, and freight rates are subject to announcements by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and real-time carrier quotations.
Aug 22,2026