Week 2 finds the freight market transitioning from year end recovery into early pre Lunar New Year positioning, defined by elevated ocean capacity, uneven port conditions across Asia and Europe, and a gradual normalization of transpacific air cargo operations. Carrier deployment decisions ahead of the late 2026 Lunar New [...]
Beginning February 6, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will issue refunds electronically through Automated Clearing House (ACH) rather than by paper check, except in limited circumstances. The change is outlined in an interim final rule published January 2, 2026. Refunds processed on or after February 6, 2026, will [...]
U.S. importers of upholstered wooden furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities will see no change in Section 232 duty rates in 2026 following a new White House proclamation issued on December 31, 2025. The action amends Proclamation 10976 and postpones scheduled tariff increases that were set to take effect on January [...]
TRANSPACIFIC CAPACITY REMAINS LONG AS CARRIERS EXTEND YEAR END BLANK SAILINGS Transpacific container markets remain oversupplied as December demand continues to fade. Carriers are relying heavily on blank sailings to manage utilization, particularly into the USWC where vessel rotations remain highly fluid and short term. USEC services are showing [...]
The U.S. Court of International Trade has ruled that liquidation may continue for entries subject to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) while related legal challenges remain pending. The court declined to pause liquidation, finding that importers are not at risk of losing potential refund [...]
Importers using Wood Packaging Material (WPM) will face a significant compliance shift on January 1, 2026, when the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) resumes full enforcement of the ISPM 15 hyphen requirement. The temporary suspension of this requirement ends on December 31, [...]
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a new trade action under Section 301 targeting Nicaragua’s acts, policies, and practices related to labor rights, human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. The December 10, 2025, report concludes that Nicaragua's trade practices are unreasonable and burden or restrict [...]
Week 50 reflects broad softening in containerized import volume, ongoing capacity oversupply across Transpacific services, and sustained peak activity in key Asia air cargo markets. Carriers are initiating extensive blank sailings through late December to manage utilization, while congestion persists at select Asian ports. Trade policy developments remain active, [...]
TRANSPACIFIC & ASIA–U.S. OCEAN TRADE: CAPACITY STILL OUTPACING DEMAND According to a recent industry-leading container-shipping index, offered capacity on Far East → U.S. West Coast and East Coast trade lanes rose over the past two weeks, signaling that capacity supply continues to outpace demand on many routes. This extension [...]
Week 47 brings active shifts in U.S. trade policy, a softening in Transpacific volume, and continued pressure across key Asia air cargo markets. At the same time, Asia origin capacity remains generally stable, while strong e-commerce activity and fourth-quarter demand continue to influence regional air cargo conditions. HOW ARE [...]
