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Smart 2026 supply chains are being engineered for pressure

Jan 7, 2026 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Rather than a single crisis, 2025 delivered constant friction. Congestion resurfaced across ports and inland networks, capacity existed but was selectively deployed, and geopolitical and regulatory shifts altered trade flows long before any formal policy changes took effect. 

The result was a decisive shift in mindset: supply chains must be designed to operate in volatility, not merely recover from it.

That shift accelerates in 2026, as technology, resilience and sustainability converge to redefine how supply chains are planned, financed and executed.

Resilience becomes a competitive advantage

If 2025 proved anything, it was that capacity on paper does not guarantee performance in practice. Across ocean, air and road freight, service reliability was dictated by execution: blank sailings, schedule volatility and inland bottlenecks determined what actually moved.

In response, supply chain design is moving beyond simple continuity planning toward resilience, where networks are designed to adapt and improve under stress.

Common characteristics include:

  • Multi-route and multimodal playbooks rather than single-lane optimisation
  • Near-shoring and regionalisation to shorten lead times and reduce exposure
  • Centralised planning paired with regional execution for faster response

These approaches reflect a broader shift away from cost-minimisation toward risk-adjusted performance.

Warehousing becomes a strategic control point

Warehousing emerged as one of the most critical differentiators in 2025 — a trend that intensifies in 2026. With transit times less predictable and congestion harder to avoid, inventory positioning and fulfilment speed have become central to supply-chain resilience.

High-performing shippers increasingly treat warehousing as an active control layer, not passive storage. Key developments include:

  • Greater use of strategically located facilities to buffer disruption
  • Tighter integration between warehousing, transport and customs planning
  • Investment in automation and robotics that flex with demand and seasonality

This is particularly important as omnichannel and e-commerce pressures continue to grow, demanding seamless support for direct-to-consumer, BOPIS and rapid fulfilment models alongside traditional B2B flows.

From reactive networks to intelligent systems

One of the most significant changes heading into 2026 is the role of technology within supply chains. What began as analytical support is now moving into operational control.

AI-enabled tools are increasingly embedded across planning, procurement, inventory management and risk assessment, enabling supply chains to:

  • Anticipate disruption through predictive insights
  • Optimise routing, inventory and capacity decisions in near real time
  • Coordinate responses across multiple functions and geographies

As these systems become more connected, cybersecurity and data governance also rise sharply in importance. Protecting sensitive operational, commercial and customs data is now a core supply-chain requirement, not an IT afterthought.

Data quality, skills and execution define winners

Technology alone is not enough. The past year also highlighted a widening gap between organisations that could convert insight into action and those constrained by fragmented systems and poor data quality.

In 2026, competitive advantage depends on:

  • Clean, trusted and consistent data across logistics, customs and finance
  • Integrated platforms rather than disconnected tools
  • Teams with the skills to manage AI-driven, data-rich operations

Workforce transformation is therefore as important as digital investment. Roles are evolving toward data analytics, systems oversight and exception management, requiring targeted up-skilling to unlock value from new technologies.

Sustainability and compliance move into the operating core

Environmental and regulatory pressures are no longer peripheral considerations. Carbon pricing, emissions transparency, stricter customs enforcement and evolving trade rules are now shaping routing, mode selection and inventory strategy.

For most shippers, progress in 2026 will come less from premium “green” options and more from practical levers:

  • Smarter planning and consolidation
  • Modal optimisation and regionalisation
  • Stronger traceability and data governance

Sustainability and compliance have become operational constraints — inseparable from cost, resilience and service performance.

Designing supply chains that perform under pressure

Taken together, the direction of travel for 2026 is clear. Supply chains are being rebuilt as intelligent, integrated systems — shifting from reactive cost centres to strategic growth engines.

The most resilient networks are those that:

  • Integrate finance, procurement, logistics and technology decisions
  • Combine centralised control with regional agility
  • Invest equally in data, platforms, people and process

The objective is not to eliminate disruption, but to design networks that continue to perform when conditions are uncertain.

At Metro, this same mindset underpins how supply chains are assessed and supported. Stress-testing assumptions, strengthening visibility and applying execution-focused logistics, warehousing and transport strategies. In 2026, the differentiator will not be avoiding disruption, but owning a supply chain designed to operate through it.

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Port Labour Disputes Ease as Carriers Adjust Capacity

Nov 7, 2025 | , ,

North European ports are recovering from a turbulent October marked by strikes, slowdowns, and strategic capacity withdrawals that continue to test vessel schedule reliability across major trade lanes.

In Rotterdam, port operations normalised following the end of a strike on 17 October, after lashers accepted a new contract providing a 20% wage increase over three years. The settlement allowed the port to clear a backlog of around 30 container vessels, restoring regular quay operations and inland connections.

In Antwerp, however, tensions remain unresolved. Harbour pilots suspended strike action after a ten-day protest over proposed pension reforms, but are now operating under “maximum rest” conditions, a form of weaponised compliance that has slowed vessel movements and cargo flows. The Flemish government has granted a temporary reprieve while talks continue, but a full agreement must be reached by the end of November to avoid renewed disruption. The lingering uncertainty adds pressure to already stretched supply chains reliant on North European gateways.

Vessel Schedule Reliability Plateaus

According to Sea-Intelligence data, global schedule reliability has plateaued at around 65%, well below pre-pandemic norms but relatively stable compared with mid-year levels.

The improvement seen through early 2025 appears to have levelled off, as labour disputes and weather-related delays offset gains from improved fleet deployment. Carriers within alliances are maintaining higher consistency, yet reliability remains uneven across regions, with Northern Europe continuing to feel the impact of port congestion and labour constraints.

Blank Sailings Maintain Market Discipline

The U.S.–China trade truce at the end of October brought a degree of calm to ocean freight markets, but carriers are continuing to manage supply through selective blank sailings.

Between weeks 46 and 50 (10 November–14 December), approximately 7% of scheduled sailings (52 out of 721) have been withdrawn, primarily on transpacific eastbound (48%), Asia–Europe/Med (35%), and transatlantic westbound (17%) routes.

Despite these adjustments, 93% of departures are expected to proceed as planned, with the GEMINI Cooperation achieving full schedule reliability (100%) and MSC close behind at 95%. The Ocean Alliance, Premier Alliance, and independent carriers are operating between 89–91%.

Container rates edged up in early November following 1 November GRIs, with Drewry’s World Container Index reporting an 8% week-on-week rise, led by Asia–Europe and transpacific routes. With fewer cancellations and around 7% more capacity month-on-month, December is expected to see marginally higher space availability but continued volatility.

For shippers, the months ahead will demand agility and foresight, from early bookings to flexible scheduling, as carriers balance capacity discipline against weakening demand in the slack season.

We work closely with our network and carrier partners to keep cargo flowing through strikes, slowdowns and blank sailings. From time-critical moves to planned flows, our sea freight team secures the space and schedules your supply chain needs, on time and on budget.

EMAIL Andrew Smith, Managing Director, to explore how we can protect your ocean supply chains and help insulate you from market volatility.

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Asia Air and Ocean Rates Edge Higher — For Now

Oct 29, 2025 | ,

After months of volatility and gradual rate decline, airfreight rates on key Asia–Europe and trans-Pacific lanes are climbing as capacity tightens ahead of a softer-than-usual peak season, while ocean carriers are seeing container spot rates rebound for a second consecutive week thanks to blank sailings and new general rate increases (GRIs).

Although the recovery is uneven, the long-running rate slide has paused, with carriers regaining short-term leverage and shippers facing a more cautious pricing environment. For importers in the US and UK, the message is clear: after months of relative calm, both air and sea markets are entering a phase of firmer pricing, with time-sensitive shippers under growing pressure to book early or lock in space as Q4 unfolds.

Airfreight: Rates Rising Despite a Muted Peak

Airfreight from Asia to Europe and the US is once again trending upward. Average spot rates from key Chinese gateways to Europe rose by more than 13% over the past two weeks, as exporters and forwarders competed for available space.

Despite the uptick, industry forecasts point to a “peak-less” Q4, with no major surge. For now, rates are rising gradually rather than sharply, with seasonal demand keeping the market balanced rather than overheated.

Time-sensitive shipments should be booked early to secure space and mitigate cost spikes. Those with flexible lead times can expect modestly higher pricing but less risk of severe congestion compared with previous years.

Ocean Freight: Carriers Regain Leverage as Rates Rebound

On the ocean side, spot container rates from Asia to Europe and North America have recorded their second consecutive weekly increase, driven by a wave of blanked sailings and mid-month GRIs. Analysts have tracked 93 cancelled voyages in October, as carriers pulled capacity to halt a 17-week rate slide earlier in the year.

The moves seem to have succeeded in stabilising pricing and restoring some balance to supply and demand. However, with the 2026 contract season approaching, shippers should expect more assertive carrier tactics, including the use of temporary GRIs and peak season surcharges to strengthen negotiating positions ahead of annual rate renewals.

Short-Term Outlook: A Firmer but Fragmented Market

  • Book early, particularly for premium cargo. Both air and sea carriers are tightening availability, and last-minute bookings may face higher costs or restricted options.
  • Expect rate volatility rather than steep increases. Demand is improving but not spiking, suggesting moderate and temporary rate rises through year-end.
  • Contract carefully. US and UK importers negotiating 2026 contracts should balance the current uptick in rates against the likelihood of stabilisation by Q1 next year.
  • Monitor capacity and scheduling. Blanked sailings, port disruptions and reduced belly capacity will remain the key short-term risk factors.

Metro’s market specialists continuously monitor rate movements, carrier capacity and contract trends across Asia–Europe and trans-Pacific trade lanes.

If you’re reviewing 2026 contracts, weighing modal choices or facing urgent uplift challenges, our team can help you secure competitive pricing and reliable space.

EMAIL Andrew Smith, Managing Director to discuss short-term options and long-term strategies for your Asia supply chain

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USTR Port Fee Shockwave Hits Chinese Shipping and Vehicle Carrier Sectors

Oct 29, 2025 | , , , , , ,

The U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) newly imposed port fee regime is massively impacting container and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) operators, inflating operating costs, tightening vessel capacity, and prompting warnings of severe disruption to U.S. logistics.

UPDATE 30 OCTOBER – Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have agreed to end tit-for-tat levies on each other’s shipping industries, but there is no certainty yet as to when this will take effect.

Effective 14 October, the USTR introduced port service fees applying to all Chinese-operated and Chinese-built vessels calling at U.S. ports. Chinese-operated ships face a levy of $50 per net ton on their first port call of the year, escalating annually through 2028. For vessels merely built in China but operated by foreign lines, the higher of $18 per ton or $120 per discharged container applies.

Although originally aimed at Chinese maritime dominance, the policy has ensnared a much wider range of operators, including global RoRo and vehicle-carrier fleets built in Asian shipyards. The scope extends to nearly all non-U.S.-built ships, creating a sweeping cost burden across the international car-carrier sector.

Early Impact on China-Linked Carriers

Within the first week of implementation, Chinese shipping giants Cosco and OOCL incurred more than $42 million in port fees from just 15 U.S. port calls. Based on current deployment, annual exposure for the two lines could exceed $2 billion, representing as much as 7 % of combined revenue.

While some carriers have avoided Chinese tonnage by redeploying vessels built elsewhere, many have no alternative. Post-Panamax container ships and vehicle carriers built in China but owned by global operators remain fully liable under the new rules.

RoRo Operators Face Steep Increases

The new regime has been even more damaging for vehicle and equipment carriers. The levy on all foreign-built vessels, not just those tied to China, rose from $14 to $46 per net ton, tripling the original charge announced in June. This means a large car carrier now faces about $1.2 million per port call, capped at five annual calls per vessel.

Operators such as Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Höegh Autoliners are facing unprecedented annual costs, estimated near $1 billion and $225 million respectively, which will inevitably feed through to manufacturers and exporters. The burden will be particularly heavy on automotive and heavy-equipment producers that rely on U.S.–Europe and U.S.–Asia RoRo services.

Outlook

As public consultation on further extensions of the scheme continues, the maritime industry is bracing for additional cost escalation and route restructuring. Unless revised, the USTR’s fee framework could reshape port-call economics, amplify freight volatility, and reduce U.S. competitiveness in key manufacturing export markets.

Metro’s sea freight and RoRo specialists support automotive, machinery, and project cargo shippers potentially facing rising U.S. port charges amid changing compliance requirements. With deep expertise in vehicle logistics and carrier management, we minimise disruption and optimise cost efficiency across global trade lanes. EMAIL Andrew Smith, Managing Director, to discuss tailored solutions for your automotive supply chain.

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