Container shipping costs to Middle East up for 5th month amid conflict

Container shipping costs from South Korea to the Middle East extended their gains for the fifth consecutive month in June, the customs agency said Wednesday, amid lingering geopolitical tensions. The average shipping charge for a 40-foot container from South Korea to the Middle East rose 15.1 percent from a month earlier to 7.78 million won ($5,520) in June, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. The average shipping charge for containers bound for the US west coast rose 45.5 percent