Port Fees on Chinese-Built Vessels: The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), is developing a standard clause to address how ocean carriers will handle new U.S. port fees on Chinese ships, which take effect Oct. 14 and are expected to significantly raise shipping costs.

Red Sea: Beginning in June, CMA CGM will reroute its MEDEX service which connects India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, back through the Suez Canal. The first vessel, CMA CGM Palleas, departs Nhava Sheva early June transit the Suez later in the month, followed by CMA CGM Nabucco and CMA CGM Titus in early July. While CMA CGM views this as a permanent shift for now, other carriers remain cautious for now due to ongoing security concerns, but additional carriers may also start a return to the Red Sea.

Asia to North America: Ports in Southern California, are seeing an increase in inbound TEUs, with volumes expected to peak mid-June. The import rush is driven by shippers trying to beat the July and August tariff hikes. As a result, the traditional peak season is arriving early and is expected to be shorter but intense.

Asia to Europe: Rates from Asia to Europe have jumped sharply following June 1 general rate increases (GRIs).  Increases are driven by severe port congestion and limited vessel availability as shipping lines are shifting vessels away from Asia-Europe routes to meet booming demand on the trans-Pacific trade lane.

North America to Asia: A steep drop in shipments, driven by higher tariffs on U.S.-China trade imposed in April, led ocean carriers to adopt aggressive blank sailing strategies. The 90-day U.S.-China tariff pause announced in May sparked a rush to ship goods before the mid-August deadline, leading to a surge in demand and tightening vessel space. This sudden spike in demand, coupled with previously reduced sailings, is expected to result in considerable space constraints. Although carriers are adding capacity, U.S. exporters may not see relief until late June or early July due to delays in repositioning vessels.

North America to Europe: Service reliability is on the rise as carriers recalibrate vessel deployments to better match evolving demand patterns.

LATAM to Asia: Cartagena and Barranquilla are experiencing limited equipment and space availability, while conditions in Buenaventura remain stable.

LATAM to Europe: As the summer season approaches, a noticeable reduction in workforce availability is starting to impact destination operations, resulting in slower responses and limited support.

LATAM to North America: New York is currently experiencing high demand, particularly near vessel cut-off dates, and may not be able to accommodate all requests. For upcoming shipments, it is advisable to consider alternative routes via Philadelphia or Norfolk.