On 1 July, the revised International Air Transport Association (IATA) Direct Air Waybill (DAWB) framework came into force, fundamentally changing the contractual relationship between airlines and freight forwarders.  IATA’s revised DAWB framework has prompted an unusually strong reaction from freight…

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…

Global cargo volumes remained strong throughout June, finishing 9% higher than the same month last year and building on steady growth seen throughout the first half of 2026.  While capacity has gradually returned to the market following the disruption caused…

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…

The latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, alongside the broader US/Iran framework aimed at ending months of regional conflict, has improved sentiment across energy and freight markets.  Oil prices have retreated, financial markets have stabilised and hopes are growing…

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…

Metro’s LCL Optimised Solution lets shippers move smaller, more frequent orders without paying for empty container space, freeing up working capital and easing the current squeeze on capacity. As peak season tightens capacity across the major east-west container trades, many…

The ongoing conflict across the Middle East continues to exert major pressure on global supply chains, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz creating sustained disruption across ocean freight, air cargo, energy markets and regional transport networks. Conditions…

The UK’s incoming steel trade measures are set to reshape import dynamics almost overnight, with significant cost and compliance implications for manufacturers, construction firms, and industrial supply chains. From 1 July 2026, the UK will replace its current steel safeguards…

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…

Asia–Europe and transpacific market conditions have shifted sharply in recent weeks, as strong demand tightens available space and enables carriers to push through higher spot rates and surcharges, even on shipments moving under long-term contracts. Recent index data shows steady…

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…

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…