First, there has been a sharp increase in sea container freight rates. The freight rate along the route from Guangzhou in China to St. Petersburg in Russia increased from US$ 2, 500-2,700 to US$ 6, 500-8,000 this year. At the peak, the rate reached US$ 11,000-13,000 for a 40-foot container and incurred an extra loading cost of US$ 20-30 for a split-type RAC.