Airfreight rates could climb sharply as the crisis in the Middle East disrupts global cargo capacity, according to logistics data provider Xeneta. The company is urging shippers operating on affected routes to delay signing long-term freight agreements until the situation becomes clearer. Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer, said the conflict has already […]
Read MoreSoftening spot rates, weak volume projections and cautious consumer sentiment point to a clear reality for the trans-Pacific container market: the usual pre–Lunar New Year shipping surge is absent in 2026. Market participants say demand ahead of the Lunar New Year, which begins Feb. 17, has been unusually subdued. Chinese factories will still shut down […]
Read MoreThe end of the year is typically a quiet period for US ocean shipping as retailers wrap up their holiday stocking. But the close of 2025 — and the start of 2026 — is shaping up to be more than just subdued. The industry is facing a deepening downturn with little sign of a rebound. […]
Read MoreGlobal air cargo volumes continued to rise in October, increasing 4% year on year—slower than previous months but stronger than analysts had expected, according to the latest data from Xeneta. The performance came despite a slowdown in businesses frontloading imports to offset tariff costs and the end of the U.S. de minimis exemption, Xeneta reported. […]
Read MoreThe imposition of 50% tariffs on Indian exports to the US is already disrupting container shipping on the India–US East Coast (USEC) route. With cargo demand weakening, carriers are cutting back sailings and rethinking their deployment strategies to balance supply with shrinking exports. Local forwarders report at least three blank sailings scheduled from West India […]
Read MoreMajor carriers including Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, and Zim are slashing costs as freight rates continue to decline across global trade lanes. Executives warn that expenses such as shipbuilding, chartering, fuel, and port labor have risen sharply since the pandemic, pushing unit costs well above 2019 levels. Zim highlighted higher fuel costs, port congestion, and increased dockworker […]
Read MoreSpot rates on the trans-Pacific trade lane are climbing even faster than during the pandemic-driven spike of spring 2021, fueled by a surge in Asian imports ahead of looming U.S. tariff hikes. This rush, triggered by a temporary pause in tariffs enacted under the Trump administration, has ocean carriers pushing rates aggressively to maximize revenue […]
Read MoreOcean freight rates from Asia to Europe soared ahead of the carriers’ June 1 general rate increases, fueled by growing congestion at major ports and a shift in vessel deployment toward the booming Asia-U.S. trade lane. Severe delays at key port hubs on both ends of the Asia-Europe route are absorbing available capacity. At the […]
Read MoreMajor 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 […]
Read MoreAir cargo volumes and capacity are expected to rise in the coming days after the United States and China agreed to a 90-day partial suspension of their ongoing trade war. The dispute had driven tariffs between the two nations to more than 100%, with additional duties placed on e-commerce shipments. Following a weekend of negotiations, […]
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