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1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant industry investment rating information provided in the report. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - In 2026, it is highly likely that the price center of the Container Shipping Index (Europe Line) futures will decline, and the volatility will continue to converge. The supply - side growth will gradually absorb the "bonus" of the detour caused by the Red Sea crisis, and the global maritime trade growth rate on the demand side may slow down [2][101]. - In 2026, the supply and demand of the Europe Line will both increase, but it is highly probable that the supply - demand situation will become looser. The annual freight rate center of the Europe Line is expected to fluctuate between 1300 - 2500 US dollars/FEU, corresponding to an SCFIS index of approximately 850 - 1800 points [2][101]. 3. Summary According to the Table of Contents 3.1 Overview - Review of Spot and Futures Price Trends: The Container Shipping Index (Europe Line) as a service - type futures has a relatively weak anchoring between spot and forward prices. The futures price generally follows the spot seasonal pattern, with a steeper upward slope than the downward slope in each V - shaped price movement, and the price center of the V - shaped movement continues to decline. Each contract has its own trading logic, with some similarities, such as the 2602 contract being similar to the 2508 contract [6]. - Futures Price Structure Trends: In the two - year listing period of EC, arbitrage trading mainly relied on seasonality. However, in 2025, due to increased macro and geopolitical uncertainties, the traditional trading logic of peak and off - peak seasons may fail. In the context of the Red Sea resumption risk in 2026, the safety margin of long spreads may be easier to capture than short spreads [29]. 3.2 Supply: Static Capacity Tends to be Saturated, and There is a Risk of Red Sea Route Resumption in the Distant Future - Capacity Development: In 2026, the global static capacity growth rate will be 4.6%. The Europe Line is expected to receive 8 - 14 new ships, mainly for upgrading ship types and filling small gaps. The difficulty of blank sailings will increase in 2026. In terms of dynamic capacity, the actual weekly average capacity of the China - Northwest Europe route in 2025 increased by 11.4% compared to 2024. In terms of market share, the capacity of Cosco Group and Hapag - Lloyd on the Northwest Europe route has increased [34][36][37]. - Supply Chain Event Review: - Port Congestion: The average in - port capacity of major ports related to Northwest Europe increased in 2025. Port congestion can cause passive blank sailings, affect the index settlement price, and lead to the loss of customer resources of some shipping companies [47][48]. - Impact of the US Line on the European Supply Side: After the implementation of the equal - tariff policy on April 2, 2025, 15 US - bound ships were transferred to the European Line from April to May, increasing the supply pressure. After the relaxation of tariffs on May 12, the US Line "rushed to export", and some ships were transferred from the European Line [54]. - Impact of the 301 Investigation on the European Line Market: The US 301 investigation on China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries and China's counter - measures did not cause significant disruptions to the European Line container shipping market [57][58][59]. 3.3 Demand: There is No Strong Inventory - Replenishment Drive in the US in the First Half of the Year, and European Import Demand May be Resilient - US Perspective: In the first half of 2026, if there are no major changes in the Sino - US tariff policy, the US may maintain rigid inventory replenishment. There is no strong upward drive on the demand side, so importers do not have a strong motivation for large - scale inventory replenishment [70]. - European Perspective: In 2025, from January to October, Asia's exports of containers to Europe continued to grow rapidly. In 2026, European import demand may be resilient, but attention should be paid to the marginal change in the growth rate [83]. 3.4 Major Geopolitical Events and Their Impact Paths - Middle East: The Red Sea and potential Hormuz Strait security risks persist. Shipping companies are preparing for the resumption of the Red Sea route in 2026, but the risk has not completely disappeared, and there is no unified schedule for the west - bound resumption of the European Line. If the Red Sea route resumes, there will be an issue of over - capacity [90][91][92]. - Russia - Ukraine Conflict: In 2025, the situation on the battlefield tilted in favor of Russia, and there was a "28 - point cease - fire framework" proposed but not accepted. In 2026, the conflict may end with Ukraine "forced to accept a cease - fire" or "resisting firmly with Europe". The easing of the conflict may boost the import demand of the Europe - Mediterranean route and have a positive impact on the European Line [94][95]. - Taiwan Strait: Japan's provocations may lead to an escalation of the situation in the Taiwan Strait. In case of conflict, the shipping routes in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Malacca Strait may be affected, leading to an increase in shipping prices [97][98]. 3.5 Strategy Recommendations - 2602 Contract: The trading logic is similar to that of the 2508 contract, focusing on freight rate height, inflection point time, and subsequent decline rate. The current most profitable spread - filling market has ended, and it is expected to be mainly volatile and follow the delivery logic [3][102]. - 2604 and 2610 Contracts: Market speculative funds may try to trade on the off - peak season attributes. The 2604 contract has already priced in most of the off - peak season expectations, and it is recommended to short with a fluctuating rhythm, with a fundamental resistance level of 1150 - 1250 points. The 2610 contract is suitable for trading the long - term weakening of the fundamentals and the negative impact of the Red Sea route resumption [3][102]. - 2606 and 2608 Contracts: Due to the uncertainty of the Red Sea route resumption rhythm, there is a certain risk in unilateral long positions. In the initial stage, it is advisable to enter the market through 6 - 10 and 8 - 10 long spreads [3][103].