Drewry's World Container Index rose 2% in the latest assessment published this week, the maritime news service sources indicated on 23 October 2026.
The World Container Index, commonly cited by procurement teams, remains an independent global reference for index-linked contracts, the report noted. For many years the WCI has served as a benchmark used by organisations to monitor and price containerised freight across the principal routes tracked by the index.
Drewry's detailed assessment dated Thursday 22 October 2026 formed the basis of the report, which summarised the latest percentage movement without further breakdown in the supplied notes. The single-line change reflects the headline movement reported for that assessment day.
What the WCI covers
The WCI provides coverage across eight trade lanes and is presented as the go-to tool for organisations that require a single, consistent reference for index-linked contracting, the notes state. Where firms need regional visibility or coverage beyond those eight lanes, the published guidance is to contact the Drewry team for further detail.
How industry users rely on the index
Procurement teams and contract managers routinely reference the WCI in negotiations and for the administration of index-linked arrangements, the source confirms. That widespread use underpins the index's role as a market touchstone even when only headline movements are published in a short assessment.
The recent 2% rise reported on 23 October is presented in the source as the headline figure for the Drewry assessment of 22 October 2026; no additional lane-by-lane figures or currency amounts were provided in the factual notes. Readers and contract parties seeking lane-specific data are therefore directed to the index provider for the underlying detail.
The reports item reproduced Drewry's assessment and advised organisations that require more granular or regional metrics to contact the Drewry team for bespoke coverage. That procedural note is part of the published summary and points users towards the index publisher for expanded datasets or consulting support.
A short factual summary
- Headline movement reported: up 2%.
- Assessment date referenced: Thursday 22 October 2026.
- Publication reporting the item: reports, 23 October 2026.
Drewry's World Container Index continues to be presented in industry reporting as a central benchmark for those constructing or managing index-linked freight contracts, and the latest brief assessment is consistent with the index's long-standing role as a reference point for procurement and contract teams.
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