Seoul: Container shipping costs from South Korea to the United States fell for the third straight month in September, largely due to a decrease in trade volume influenced by U.S. tariff policies, the customs agency said Wednesday. The average shipping cost for a 40-foot container from South Korea to the U.S. east coast dropped 3.7 percent from a month earlier to 5.5 million won (US$3,850) last month.

According to Yonhap News Agency, shipping rates to the U.S. west coast dropped 5.6 percent on-month to 4.9 million won during the same period. The customs agency attributed the decline in maritime freight rates to the U.S. to reduced trade volume stemming from escalating tariff policies.

Shipping costs to China, however, jumped 20.4 percent on-month to 704,000 won. The figures include freight rates, commissions, and other related charges reported by local exporters, the agency said.