15 May 2025

Carriers Push Rates Sky-High as US–China Tariff Pause Triggers Booking Surge

Major container shipping lines are pushing for spot rates on shipments from China to the US West Coast that are more than double current levels, aiming to capitalize on a surge in demand sparked by a temporary easing of US tariffs on Chinese goods. Spot rates have already started rising following Monday’s announcement of a […]

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03 May 2025

Global Shipping Shake-Up: Tariffs, Blank Sailings, and the Battle for Capacity

The suspension of China–U.S. shipments and a wave of blank sailings on the trans-Pacific trade lane may lead to a significant redistribution of vessel capacity, according to Alexandra Ilascu of Kuehne + Nagel. Speaking during the Journal of Commerce’s Asia-Europe webinar, Ilascu warned that these shifts are likely to impact other trade routes, including Asia-Europe […]

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28 Apr 2025

China-to-US Air Cargo Faces Further Cuts as Demand Shifts to Southeast Asia

Several major Chinese airlines are reportedly considering the cancellation of their services to the United States, though no final decisions have been made, according to logistics provider Dimerco. “If these cancellations proceed, the already tight air cargo capacity from China to the US will shrink even further,” the company warned. Kathy Liu, vice president of […]

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22 Apr 2025

Trade Tensions Stitch Trouble for US Apparel Imports

A recent report from consultancy firm Trade Partnership Worldwide has raised concerns over the potential impact of heightened tariffs and port fees on the US apparel trade. If current tariff hikes become permanent and additional fees on Chinese vessels are enforced, the US could see a noticeable decline in clothing imports, the study warns. While […]

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21 Mar 2025

U.S. Shipping Industry Sounds Alarm Over Proposed $1M Fee on Chinese Vessels

While major container lines and their largest customers have remained largely silent on the Trump administration’s proposed $1 million per U.S. port call fee for Chinese vessels, smaller maritime and container trade stakeholders are voicing strong opposition ahead of the comment period deadline on Monday. In submissions to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) before Monday’s […]

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11 Mar 2025

China-US Air Freight Rates Plunge as Trade Tensions Disrupt E-Commerce

Air freight rates from China to the US have plummeted since Lunar New Year, driven by the typical post-holiday slowdown and uncertainty over new US trade restrictions on low-value imports under the “de minimis” threshold. Though the sharp decline in spot prices has stabilized in March, average rates from Shanghai to the US were down […]

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06 Mar 2025

E-Commerce Turbulence Hits Airfreight: February Data Reveals First Signs of Disruption

The effects of stricter e-commerce shipping regulations started to surface in February’s air cargo data, even as the overall market maintained its growth trajectory. According to new figures from data provider Xeneta, global air cargo demand rose by 4% year over year in February. The dynamic load factor remained steady at 59%, while the average […]

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03 Mar 2025

Air Cargo Industry on Edge: US Tariffs Spark Global Trade Uncertainty

The air cargo industry is bracing for potential disruptions as stakeholders await updates on global tariffs from the US, creating uncertainty about the impact on the sector. Yesterday, the White House saw a flurry of activity as President Donald Trump announced executive orders imposing additional tariffs: a 10% increase on imports from China, a 25% […]

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