Shipping container lease rates: 2023 latest updates [+where to find great deals]

If you’re searching for reasonable shipping container lease rates, look no further than our blog to bag top leasing deals from vetted suppliers on Container xChange. Also, get the low down on the current leasing market to make better business moves.

Last updated on 8th November 2023

Tired of spending hours online, trying to find shipping container lease rates that don’t burn a hole in your pocket? Don’t worry, that’s going to be a thing of the past now.

We bring you a platform that helps you source the container you need only from trusted suppliers and at the price you want to pay. Container xChange is your new reality. It’s a neutral marketplace, which is home to more than 50,000 containers that you can buy, sell, or lease in over 2500+ locations.

Moreover, our complete market price transparency lets you see all prices that are stated upfront which are negotiable. You will only deal with vetted partners and choose a deal that’s best for you.

Try our public search below to find leasing offers in your location. Choose ‘I want to use containers’, your pick-up and drop-off locations and click ‘search’; you’ll get a preview of all the containers available in your selected route within a few seconds. Select a deal that suits you best and get started. Try it now!

Shipping container lease rates: Pick-up charges for 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft HC

For you to get an idea of the container rental rates, we’ve listed the pick-up charges for popular boxes across various stretches:

Stretch	Pick-up charges
Ambarli to  Moscow	US $450 for 20ft Box
Antwerp to Jebel Ali	US $120 for 20ft box
Bangkok to Atlanta	US $217 for 40ft box
Ningbo to Felixstowe	US $190 for 40ft box
Ambarli to Novorossiysk	US $430 for 40ft HC
Antwerp to  Nansha	US $200 for 40ft HC

Note: The rates above are based on the transactions made on the xChange platform and are subject to changes.

If you want to explore more rates on our platform and also like to have access to actual leasing one-way rates in 180 locations globally, try our product xChange Insights. With Insights, you can compare pick-up charges, free days, and per diems for different stretches and see their development for up to 2 years. Try Insights for free now.

Container rental and leasing in India: 20ft and 40 HC containers

Speaking of prices, container rates in India have been decreasing over the past year due to an oversupply of containers at many ports. The average pick-up charge of a cargo-worthy 40ft container in some of the top ports of India was $1,589 with the lowest price being $1,491 at the Mundra port. This time last year, the average price was $3,064, a significant 51% decrease. Let’s explore some pick-up charges for some stretches in India below:

• The pick-up charge for a 20ft box from Chennai to Karachi was US $100 as of October 2023.
• The pick-up charge for a 20ft box from Mundra to Keelung was US $190 as of October 2023.
• The pick-up charge for a 40HC box from Chennai to Hamburg was US $750 as of October 2023.
• The pick-up charge for a 40HC box from Mundra to Jebel Aliis was US $125 as of October 2023

With such low rates now is the best time for you to lease containers from India. On our platform, we have several containers available in India for leasing. Come and find the best prices that suit your business and lease a box in India today on Container xChange.

Shipping container lease rates: Latest updates

Apart from the prices, another factor to keep in mind when it comes to shipping container costs is to know where the current market stands. To help you understand the latest updates and trends in the market, we have listed a few findings from our October logistics report that’ll help you make smart business moves and manage your finances better.

• We noticed that the average prices of cargo-worthy 40ft containers in Asia have plummeted from US $2,364 in September 2022 to US $1,305 in September 2023, a 44% drop in just a year.
• The establishment of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), is a significant initiative poised to impact global container logistics by offering diverse trade routes, faster transit times, and economic integration between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
• The European shipping market is currently facing an intricate challenge – an increase in blank sailings, stemming from a supply surplus and wavering demand.
• Across the three key ports in North Europe, our data recorded a sharp fall in freight rates for CW 40ft boxes. On average, the prices have plummeted by 66.8% since September 2022.
• The Panama Canal continues to find itself at a critical juncture due to a relentless and historic drought. This is causing several operational hurdles and disruptions to trade flows.
• The average price of a cargo-worthy 40ft container in the US in September 2022 on our platform was US $2833. By the end of September 2023, the same was US $2,109, a 29.30% drop.

To get more insights like these into the current market (best shipping rates, best shipping routes, container availability at ports, and more) download a free copy of our report Where are all the Containers here.

One-way container leasing rates

Did you know, you can lease a container and also save money on empty container repositioning?

Yes, you read that right. With one-way container leasing, that is possible. Here, you use a box only one way e.g. from Hamburg, Germany to Shanghai, China. That’s it. Your company leases the shipping container for that one journey. This way your cargo gets delivered to where it’s needed without you having to worry about repositioning costs thereafter.

To make it more profitable, you can lease SOC containers on our platform for one-way lease. Because your daily rental rates are not based on the length of the rental, SOCs allow you to save a significant amount of money on demurrage and detention (D&D). Also, since they are shipper-owned if your container gets stuck in port due to port congestion or vessel delays you get exempted from paying any hefty D&D charges too.

So, taking the example above, if you need to move your goods from Hamburg to Shanghai you can lease a SOC container on our platform for your shipment. Once you have moved the cargo one way you can sell the container again on our platform at a good price and help in repositioning them – voila! Start your one-way leasing journey today!

Shipping container lease rates: How to rent a container and what are leasing agreements?

Before you get to your box, we want to leave you with some info on the different kinds of lease agreements and what they entail. If you want more in-depth information about these agreements you can click on our separate blog here.

Master lease	Long term lease	Short term lease	One way lease
Duration can vary	5–8 years	Longer than 6 months	Duration can vary
Maintenance is done by the leasing company	The lessee takes care of maintenance	Upkeep of the container is done by the lessee	Servicing is managed by the lessee
Drop off location is restricted	The final drop location is very limited	Location of the last drop is very controlled	The shipper decides the drop off location

If you’re looking for information on how to rent a container, check out our blog on 7 easy steps to rent a shipping container.

 Get top deals on shipping container lease rates on Container xChange

Container xChange can help you secure boxes at top leasing rates and benefit your business in the long run. It connects you with 1500+ companies in 2500+ locations globally and helps you make your container logistics operations smoother, faster and safe.

You’ll only deal with vetted container leasing companies as it’s a mandatory process to go through a background check before they join the platform. View profiles of companies and see the ratings and reviews given to them by their partners and make informed decisions about whom you want to work with.

You can negotiate prices and deals directly with the supplier and also manage all your transactions in one places. Our easy-to-use and secure payment handling feature, the xChange wallet generates only one bill for you to pay, so you don’t have to deal with multiple invoices from different companies.

Now that sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it? Think of all the money, time and energy you’ll be saving, coupled with the security of working with trusted partners.

It’s time you experience more control over your logistical operations by leasing a box on Container xChange.

Ready to get top deals on shipping containers? Click the banner below to lease boxes at the best rates with ease!

Shipping container lease rates: Common FAQs

How are shipping containers leased?

Shipping containers are leased from container leasing companies in line with a leasing agreement type. Container leasing requires you to have a trusted supplier to lease containers for a time frame that suits your needs.

What is the rent of a container in India?

Container rates in India have been decreasing over the past year due to an oversupply of containers at many ports. the average price of a cargo-worthy 40ft container in some of the top ports of India was $1,589 with the lowest price being $1,491 at the Mundra port. This time last year, the average price was $3,064, a significant 51% decrease.

How much does it cost to rent a container?

The cost of renting a container depends on several factors such as market situation, supply and demand, location, container availability, container type, and condition.