Category: China

Container shipping lines are driving spot rates sharply higher, with the 2025 transpacific peak season likely to begin earlier than usual, fuelled by a surge in US imports from Asia. Spot rates on key routes are rising faster than during the pandemic-era boom. Carriers implemented general rate... Read more

Global air cargo demand continues to show signs of recovery, driven by seasonal trends, front-loaded shipments and shifting trade flows. However, market conditions remain volatile, with varying regional dynamics, capacity fluctuations and ongoing uncertainty. Air cargo demand, measured in carg... Read more

A U.S. federal court has ruled that President Donald Trump's sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs are illegal — delivering what may prove to be a major blow to his trade policy agenda, or simply a temporary setback. On May 28, 2025, the United States Court of International Trade determined that... Read more

The 90-day suspension of US-China tariffs has delivered a sharp jolt to transpacific ocean freight, triggering an unseasonal spike in demand and pushing spot rates up significantly. This unexpected policy reprieve has not only created a narrow window of predictability for US importers, but als... Read more

Airfreight markets posted a record performance in March, with particularly strong activity on Asia, US, Europe and UK trade lanes. The surge, driven by shippers front-loading cargo ahead of anticipated US tariffs, has provided a benchmark for what could follow in the months ahead as recent tariff... Read more

A dramatic shift in the Red Sea shipping crisis may be underway following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Houthi militants have agreed to halt their campaign against commercial vessels. His declaration has sparked hopes of restored freedom of navigation through one of the world... Read more

As demand falters on both sides of the transpacific, container and air freight flows are facing extreme volatility, with sharp drops in bookings and vessel space coinciding with sweeping tariff changes and regulatory disruptions. The number of blanked sailings has surged, with the share of Asi... Read more

New US port fees aimed at Chinese-owned and Chinese-built ships are set to begin in October 2025, challenging China's dominance in shipbuilding and shipping, while attempting to bolster the US maritime industry. Under the new structure, Chinese ship owners and operators face charges starting a... Read more

Global freight markets remain under pressure as shifting US tariff policies continue to disrupt established trade patterns, prompting divergent responses across air and sea freight markets. While immediate demand surges have driven up short-term pricing, underlying market dynamics suggest a volat... Read more

On 2 April 2025, President Donald J. Trump announced sweeping new tariffs, targeting approximately 60 countries, with China singled out for the most severe action. In response to retaliatory tariffs from Beijing, the United States escalated its own duties, ultimately imposing a 125% tariff on all... Read more

After weeks of speculation, US President Donald Trump has sharply escalated tariffs on Chinese goods to 125%, while simultaneously offering a 90-day reprieve to other trading partners. The baseline tariff of 10% applies to imports from all countries other than China, including the EU. This rat... Read more

Further to our recent update on the major changes to US tariffs (link), the global trade landscape remains highly fluid, with the situation evolving rapidly. Last Wednesday, 2nd April, President Donald Trump announced a comprehensive tariff strategy, imposing a universal 10% tariff on all impo... Read more