Freight Rates Propped Up by Fuel, E-commerce Bill Speeds Up, Customs Fraud Called Out: Three Stories for August 24
Daily Industry Briefing
Three stories today. The first is about money: trans-Pacific rates, pushed up by rushed shipments and fuel costs, are also squeezing space and container availability on the China-Southeast Asia route. The second is about rules: Malaysia's new e-commerce bill is speeding up and could be approved as early as October, with platforms facing earlier requirements for seller data and accountability. The third is about risk: pharmaceuticals and cosmetics disguised as "ordinary cargo" mixed into containers have been publicly called out, meaning inspections will only get stricter — LCL containers will bear the brunt.
Today's Three Stories
1. Freight Rates and Peak Season Outlook: Trans-Pacific 40ft Rates Up About US$4,000 From Late May
Judah Levine, Head of Research at Freightos, told The Loadstar podcast that trans-Pacific freight rates have risen by about US$4,000 per 40ft container since late May, with US West Coast rates around US$7,600 and US East Coast around US$9,000.
The Loadstar · 2026-08-23 · Read Original ↗
2. Malaysia's E-commerce Bill Speeds Up: Set to Replace 2006 Electronic Commerce Act, Could Be Approved as Early as October
Prime Minister Anwar said at the TikTok Shop Summit Malaysia on August 20 that the government is drafting an e-commerce bill to replace the Electronic Commerce Act passed in 2006, aiming to facilitate the industry and strengthen regulation.
The Star · 2026-08-20 · Read Original ↗
3. Customs Fraud Called Out: Unregistered Drugs and Cosmetics Mixed Into Ordinary Commercial Cargo Containers
The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) pointed out that fraudulent border declarations combined with weak e-commerce platform controls are the main reasons for the large influx of unregistered drugs and cosmetics into the local market.
Free Malaysia Today · 2026-08-22 · Read Original ↗
HASTE INSIGHT
What's Propping Up Your Freight Rates Isn't Peak Season Demand — It's Fuel and Port Queues
The trans-Pacific is the main battleground for this round of rate increases: US West Coast around US$7,600 and US East Coast around US$9,000, about US$4,000 higher than late May. Capacity and empty containers naturally follow high rates, squeezing the space and container availability that short-haul routes like China to Southeast Asia can get. Meanwhile, Singapore VLSFO was reported at about US$831/tonne on August 18, and Brent crude closed at about US$91/barrel on August 17 — fuel is a hard cost weighing on every shipment. So even though the China-Southeast Asia peak season has passed, quotes on the Port Klang route are unlikely to fall along with demand.
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 in this article is drawn from public reports and public indices, for reference only, and does not constitute a quote, tax, or legal advice. Actual freight rates and customs clearance outcomes are subject to the day's available space, carrier announcements, and customs rulings.
Aug 24,2026