Category: News

Disciplined capacity management shaping CNY sea freight

As Chinese New Year approaches, sea freight markets from Asia to Europe and the United States are being shaped less by price competition and more by carrier control. This year’s seasonal peak has arrived earlier than normal, with demand pulled forward and capacity actively withdrawn to prote... Read more

Strengthening Metro’s US customer focus

Metro continues to invest in capability, coverage and customer leadership as part of its expansion plans for 2026. The appointment of Jonathan Cheyne as Key Account Director for the USA reflects that commitment, reinforcing Metro’s commercial focus and customer engagement across the transatlant... Read more

Air freight volumes rebound and rates adjust post-peak

Average east-west spot freight rates strengthened into December as peak-season demand lifted pricing, and while they eased back over the year-end, early January data shows a sharp rebound in demand. Outbound air freight rates from Asia rose firmly into December, reflecting year-end demand and ... Read more

Cautious CNY trans-Pacific surge

The trans-Pacific sea freight market is entering 2026 with pre-Chinese New Year volumes rising earlier than usual, spot rates climbing sharply and carriers leaning on capacity discipline to manage risk. Despite Chinese New Year falling later than usual this year, shipment activity has moved fo... Read more

Balance tilting towards UK hauliers

After years of competing on an uneven post-Brexit playing field, UK international hauliers are entering 2026 with structural advantages finally moving in their favour. Regulatory change, rising cost pressures across the EU and tighter controls on cross-border movement are beginning to reshape ... Read more

Smart 2026 supply chains are being engineered for pressure

Supply chains are no longer judged on efficiency alone, in 2026 they will be expected to anticipate disruption and adapt at speed to actively support growth. The experience of the past year confirmed that stability is no longer a realistic planning assumption, but performance under pressure is. ... Read more

Asia–Europe peak season meets Chinese New Year

As the Asia–Europe trade moves deeper into peak season, Chinese New Year (CNY) is already reshaping pricing, capacity and execution risk. What was once a predictable seasonal slowdown has become a compressed, high-impact period where demand surges, capacity is tightly managed and disruption ris... Read more

Key finance factors shaping UK manufacturers and shippers in 2026

As the UK enters 2026, there are early signs that the export and domestic economic environments are turning a corner. And while UK consumer sentiment is likely to remain cautious in Q1, recent PMI data shows UK exports returning to growth after a year-long slump. However, while macroeconomic p... Read more

UK supply chain policy is reshaping shipper risk and resilience

Government support for supply chains is increasingly being framed as a matter of national capability rather than short-term intervention. That shift was made explicit in June 2025, when the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy earmarked £600m for logistics sites, signalling that logistics, ... Read more

A year without reset: why 2025 changed how shippers plan for 2026

If 2025 was expected to mark a return to supply-chain stability, it didn’t arrive in a neat, predictable way. But for many shippers, the year still delivered something valuable: a clearer view of what “good” looks like in modern supply chains — not perfection, but performance under pressu... Read more

Weather Disruption Intensifies Across Global Supply Chains

High-impact storms, floods and late-season tropical systems across Asia, Europe and the Americas are no longer isolated shocks: climate-linked weather volatility is increasing in frequency, severity and geographic spread, and is now considered a structural threat to logistics reliability. Stor... Read more

Sea freight heads into 2026 on a knife edge

Container spot rates are edging higher on the main deep-sea trades as carriers push through GRIs and FAK hikes into December. With blank sailings, worsening weather disruption and the risk of renewed port congestion, the run-up to Chinese New Year 2026 could be particularly challenging. On Asi... Read more