> Thanks to soaring demand in [the United States], cargo ships can charge more than seven times as much to bring a container from Asia to the U.S. as they can f

> Thanks to soaring demand in [the United States], cargo ships can charge more than seven times as much to bring a container from Asia to the U.S. as they can for the return trip. According to S&P Global Platts, that price difference has widened sharply since the pandemic. > As a result, it's often more lucrative for shipping companies to race back to Asia with empty containers for a quick refill, rather than wait for those containers to be loaded with [U.S] exports. > Agricultural exports are typically less valuable than what importers are bringing in.