Sea Freight Market Review
The global ocean freight market is undergoing a period of transition in 2025, influenced by regulatory changes, shifting trade patterns, and evolving carrier alliances. While demand remains strong in key regions, rate volatility persists due to supply chain disruptions and excess capacity.
The...
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Air Freight Market Review
The global air freight market in February and early March reflected moderate year-on-year (YoY) growth, with total worldwide tonnages up 5% in February and 2% higher YoY in early March.
However, market dynamics remain volatile, influenced by shifting trade policies, geopolitical factors, and e...
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Seven supply chain shocks in seven weeks
Just seven weeks into 2025, global supply chains have already faced a whirlwind of challenges.
From industrial action to trade barriers and shifting alliances, businesses must stay agile to navigate ongoing disruptions. Here are seven of the most impactful developments so far this year.
1. ...
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Asia–Europe airfreight: Growth and vulnerabilities
Despite growth and robust demand airfreight faces significant challenges, including reliance on eCommerce, capacity pressures, and geopolitical disruptions.
Airfreight demand on the Asia–Europe route saw a strong performance in 2024, bolstered by eCommerce, automotive parts, pharmaceuticals,...
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New alliances reshape East-West trade container shipping
Container shipping faces a transformative year in 2025, as key East-West and transatlantic shipping routes are set for substantial realignment, with the dissolution of existing alliances and the formation of new ones.
Carriers are optimising their networks to enhance competitiveness and meet t...
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Air freight surges from Asia to Europe while trans-Pacific faces regulatory hurdles
As peak season ramps up, air cargo from Asia to Europe is experiencing strong growth, largely driven by rising demand for eCommerce, while new scrutiny on duty exemptions has led to a significant drop in air cargo volumes from Asia to the United States.
In October, tonnage from Hong Kong to Eu...
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Strengthening Global Network to Address Supply Chain Challenges
Metro’s strategic partner network is central to delivering market-leading logistics services, especially as global supply chains face ongoing challenges. With the appointment of Peter Orange as head of global network development, Metro is deepening its commitment to building robust partnerships...
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Supply chains brace for more disruption as storm season intensifies
From wildfires and floods to scorching heatwaves, the consequences of climate change are becoming more pronounced, and as we enter the peak shipping season, businesses are scrambling to prepare for what is predicted to be one of the most disruptive storm seasons in recent memory.
So far in 202...
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Air cargo under pressure as peak season looms
With capacity already strained and further challenges expected from potential labour strikes and reduced belly capacity in the final quarter, shippers are under increasing pressure to secure cargo space ahead of the peak season.
Strong demand
According to IATA’s latest figures global air ca...
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Peak season impact on container freight rates
The last week of June saw further gains on sea freight spot rates from Asia into Europe and North America, as a series of peak season surcharges (PSS) were imposed and new FAK levels from 1st July creating double-digit increases in spot freight rates.
With spot and FAK rates across all three c...
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Sea freight rates from Asia continue to spike and remain on an upward trajectory
Between the start of April and last week, average spot rates from the Far East into North Europe increased by 31%, the US West Coast 30%, Mediterranean 25% and US East Coast 22%, with spot rates to Europe currently $6,000-$7,500 and analysts suggesting they may hit $10,000.
Market demand reach...
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Global port congestion threat to capacity
The Red Sea crisis and the much longer sailing distances triggered by the diversion around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope (COGH) soaked up existing market overcapacity, which was just enough to cope with the extended COGH transit times, provided there were no additional disruptions to maritime supp...
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