AN EMPTY box shortage is building in China as domestic manufacturers, such as electric-vehicle (EV) makers, scramble to ship goods ahead of the imposition of higher US tariffs and other potential trade restrictions, reports Caixin.

A surge in Chinese exports this month has led to a short supply of empties, several logistics sources say. Some exporters are now willing to pay more than US$1,000 to get an FEU, more than triple the price of the same period last year.

Exporters need to ship goods as soon as possible because most of Washington's new tariff rates on Chinese imports will be implemented in three months, said Lu Chunrong, director of equipment operations at the logistics arm of China International Marine Containers (CIMC).

The Biden administration has announced tariff hikes on US$18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including EVs, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells. The move is part of a broader strategy said to prevent Chinese manufacturers from undercutting their US counterparts and threatening American jobs.