Synopsis The higher shipping costs have been sparked by a combination of factors, including soaring demand amid stimulus checks, saturated ports, and too few ships, dockworkers and truckers. iStock Spot container rates from Asia jumped in 2020 and have stayed elevated. Stubbornly high shipping expenses for businesses are getting sealed into contracts for the next 12 months, forcing companies to pass the extra costs on to consumers. The price for a container of goods from China to the U.S. West Coast and European ports has hovered near record highs for several months, and conditions are ripe for more increases even though spot rates usually soften this time of year. What’s more, new contracts being signed by some of the biggest U.S. importers indicate the spike won’t be a short-term blip.