Container shipping is once again under pressure from widespread port congestion, but headline delay figures are only telling part of the story. Across major global hubs, vessel queues are building, schedules are slipping, and reliability is deteriorating. Yet at the…

Peak season arrived earlier than expected this year, but it shows little sign of easing. Ocean freight rates from Asia to Europe continue to climb as strong demand, disciplined capacity management and lingering geopolitical uncertainty combine to keep pressure on…

It wasn’t long ago that securing space on a RoRo vehicle carrier was one of the biggest challenges facing automotive manufacturers. A shortage of Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), soaring charter rates and surging Chinese vehicle exports created an…

Ocean freight from India has entered a period of intense demand, with tightening vessel space, rising freight rates and increasing competition for capacity across both European and North American trade lanes. For businesses diversifying manufacturing away from China or expanding…

From 8 July, regulated consumer products entering the US must be supported by electronic compliance certificates filed at the time of customs entry, turning missing or inaccurate information into a direct threat to supply chain continuity. This is not a…

Peak season has arrived earlier than expected and it is already putting global container supply chains under strain, with tightening capacity, rising rates, and growing competition for space across both Asia–US and Asia–Europe trades. What is typically a late summer…

Port congestion in North Europe and East Asia is increasingly a two-ended problem: weather and capacity issues at origin delay departures, and when those same vessels finally reach port in Europe, they miss their planned berths and are forced to…

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is the legal and operational backbone of a $31 trillion North American trading bloc, and its renewal process is a live strategic risk factor for manufacturers and automotive brands active in the region. Renewal negotiations…

Diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled, constraining one of the world’s most important energy corridors and prolonging the biggest disruption to global oil supply in decades.  Public statements from Tehran suggest Hormuz will only fully reopen…

Container shipping normally follows a traditional demand curve, with rates climbing into Chinese New Year, softening through spring, and then building towards a Q3 peak. But not this year. The crisis around the Strait of Hormuz is introducing an extra…

Airfreight has always played a dual role in supply chains, providing a reliable core mode for some flows and a pressure‑relief valve when ocean networks clog up.  The current Middle East crisis has upended that safety‑valve function; because instead of…

Heading into the second half of 2026 shippers face, a politically charged USMCA review, an early tightening on the trans‑Pacific, and war‑driven fuel costs pushing up inland transport prices across North America.  Together, they are rewriting the assumptions many companies…

China is rewiring the legal framework around its ports and supply chains and that matters for every UK shipper moving goods to, from or via China.  Two new sets of rules in 2026 change who controls disputes, how far you…

The UK automotive industry is urging the European Union to preserve close manufacturing integration with Britain as Brussels advances new industrial policies designed to strengthen European supply chains and accelerate domestic electric vehicle production. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and…

Although some shipping lines have begun selectively routing vessels back through the Suez Canal to reduce transit times and improve vessel utilisation, the industry remains far from a full-scale return to pre-crisis operating patterns. Diversions around the Cape of Good…

On 13 May 2026, the King’s Speech set out the government’s plans for the next Parliamentary session, including efforts to reset post-Brexit relations, forge closer economic ties with the EU and reduce unnecessary barriers to trade. The reset is not…

Container shipping markets appear to be entering an earlier and increasingly fragmented peak season, as geopolitical disruption, rising fuel costs and tighter carrier capacity management reshape freight demand across major trade lanes. Bookings on several east-west corridors strengthened earlier than…

The extension of the US–Iran ceasefire has done little to stabilise operating conditions in the region, with last week’s seizure of two MSC-managed container vessels by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Strait of Hormuz.  The incident highlight the…

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, crude oil can still exist within the region, but refined products, which includes marine fuel, jet fuel and diesel, can no longer move freely to key consumption markets, which has triggered a sharp…

A significant shift in the legal framework governing global shipping comes into force on 1 May 2026, as China implements revisions to its Maritime Code.  While the changes are designed to align with international standards, their practical effect is to…

Global supply chains are operating in a more stable position than at the peak of the Iran war, but conditions remain far from normal.  President Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire, tied to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, has…