Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) tracking ocean freight rates declined 2.6% this week, marking the fifth consecutive week of decreases.  The analyst in an update said that the trend indicates a significant shift in market dynamics following a volatile period induced by increased U.S. tariffs in April, and a subsequent China-U.S. tariff pause. Although the tariffs initially caused a lagged market reaction that saw rates climbing in May and surging into early June, this upward trajectory has not been sustained as rates have steadily dropped since mid-June. Trans-Pacific spot rates have also felt the impact, with prices from Shanghai to Los Angeles currently down by 4% to $2,817 per forty foot equivalent unit (FEU). Similarly, rates on the Shanghai to New York route have declined by 6%, to $4,539 per FEU.  Drewry said that despite these decreases, rates on both lanes remain higher than levels observed 10 weeks ago when tariff anxieties were initially escalating. Rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles are still up 4%, while those to New York have climbed by 24% compared to the figures on May 8.

March imports were weaker year-on-year but the busiest U.S. container port still managed to play up to the back of its baseball card. The Port of Los Angeles handled 752,520 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) in March, off 3% from the same month a year ago as geopolitics and economic uncertainty overshadowed the beginning of the months-long run-up to the peak shipping season. “Even with the seasonal slowdown tied to Lunar New Year, cargo flow in March was solid and our first quarter performance was consistent with our five-year trend,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, in a media briefing.

All TNT depots, hubs and facilities around the globe are open, operational and working to quickly clear any backlogs, and most TNT services are now available. TNT continues to make significant progress in resuming full services and bringing critical systems back online. These remediation efforts are being carried out methodically to ensure the integrity of TNT’s information systems and operations. Contingency plans that make use of both FedEx Express and TNT networks will remain in place to minimize impacts to customers, including offering the full range of FedEx Express services as alternatives. Some customers may continue to experience delays in service and access to package information. Click Read More below for additional detail.