A Saudi seller told me last week that booking October space in the second week of September cost him 18% more than August, plus two rounds of waiting for confirmation. This isn't isolated. Red Sea diversions are still on, carriers are pulling vessels to US routes, and Middle East space tightens from mid-September.
My take: don't wait until "it feels right" to book. Estimate your October and November volumes now and push your forwarder to lock space. Example: we secured a full container from Shenzhen to Jebel Ali for the first week of October at 12% above September market rates. Compare that to booking last minute in October — you'd pay 20% more and get zero guarantee.
Air freight is worse. Blocked space rates on the Riyadh lane from China hit RMB 21-24 per kg in September, up roughly 25% from August. If you sell high-value or seasonal items, a quarterly fixed-rate agreement with your forwarder beats spot quotes every time.
Locking space isn't the end though. Make sure your booking confirmation shows vessel name, voyage number, and SO number. Verbal promises are worthless. If your vessel gets skipped, reroute via Dammam or Abu Dhabi as backup — you'll save 5-7 days versus waiting. Have you booked your September cargo yet?