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 […]

Read More
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 […]

Read More
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 […]

Read More
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% […]

Read More
24 Feb 2025

Trump Administration Proposes Hefty Port Fees on Chinese-Built and Operated Ships

The Trump administration is considering new tariffs aimed at the container shipping industry, proposing steep port usage fees on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated vessels calling at U.S. ports. Additionally, U.S. exporters may face rising costs under a separate proposal requiring an increasing share of exports to be transported on American ships. If enacted, these measures could […]

Read More
11 Feb 2025

U.S. Temporarily Reinstates De Minimis Exemption for China

The U.S. government has temporarily reinstated the de minimis exemption, which allows packages valued under $800 to be imported duty-free, reversing an earlier decision that had disrupted international parcel shipments. According to a statement from the White House, the exemption will remain in place while authorities establish systems to efficiently process and collect tariffs on […]

Read More
24 Jan 2025

Asia Pacific Air Cargo Demand Holds Steady Despite Seasonal Slowdown

The post-peak season decline in air cargo demand from the Asia Pacific region has not been as severe as initially feared, according to data provider WorldACD. WorldACD analyzed the drop in demand between the December peak and the early January low after concerns arose among air cargo industry executives about the extent of the decline, […]

Read More
15 Jan 2025

E-Commerce Shifts: From Air to Sea Freight

E-commerce shipments to the US are showing signs of a shift from air cargo to sea freight, with potential changes to de minimis rules likely to accelerate this trend. This perspective was highlighted during Freightos’ “Global Freight Outlook” webinar, which explored how actions by the incoming Trump administration might impact e-commerce airfreight. Currently, de minimis […]

Read More
02 Jan 2025

2025 Logistics: Labor Gaps, Tech Shifts, Trade Tensions

Logistics professionals are bracing for a year of persistent challenges in 2025, including labor shortages, strained US-China trade relations, and vulnerabilities in supply chains, according to industry expert Archival Garcia, CEO of Fluent Cargo. While Garcia foresees no single disruptor dominating the logistics and transport sectors in 2025, he identifies the skilled labor shortage as […]

Read More