Transport, Trade and Regulation News

A plan to tax vehicle carriers $14 per net ton for each US port call will raise consumer costs and reduce the number of ports served, shipping executives warned Monday.

The federal watchdog agency said the US Maritime Administration has financial levers to help the domestic shipbuilding industry but doesn’t know their effectiveness.

The procedural reauthorization bill would provide funding for the agency for the next three fiscal years and add more outside expertise on ports and ocean carriers.

The groups want the US customs agency to rule that tariffs should be assessed according to a good’s origin port, not a secondary port through which it might have been transshipped.

The trade group of ocean carriers is exempt from US antitrust scrutiny under an agreement it filed with the FMC five years ago, but the agency is now questioning that arrangement.

Diversifying suppliers out of China has been a long-term trend among tech companies, but a recent acceleration of that shift is driven by fresh trade tensions rather than a desire to divest entirely, says Everstream Analytics.

The digital solution will be available for US imports this week and is set to roll out globally in August.

In a statement posted on the FMC’s website, Sola said his last day at the agency would be June 30 and did not give a reason for his departure.

The inability to predict the next move on tariffs is unsettling for cargo owners and their service providers, the CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management tells the Journal of Commerce.

Researcher Armstrong & Associates says in an annual report it expects global 3PL revenue to hit $1.25 trillion this year as shippers try to build more flexible supply chains and mitigate risks.

A trio of bills would change US shipping law to reflect the current wariness surrounding China’s maritime industry and promote cargo preference for US fleets.

Cargo landing at the country’s ports in July will be 20% higher than the forecast made just last month by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

The group that oversees maritime contracts said the complex nature of the USTR’s new port fees needs to be made clear through a standard clause in shipping contracts.

Trucking executives don’t believe a crackdown on truck drivers who can’t speak or read English will significantly reduce truck capacity.

The US Court of International Trade on Wednesday stated that President Donald Trump’s tariffs exceed his authority.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says a Senate vote that appears to be the first step in killing California’s stringent emissions standards is “illegal” and will be challenged in court.

The move to ensure commercial drivers comply with US law requiring English-language proficiency will have ramifications for shippers, carriers and drivers.

A calendar quirk is causing consternation for importers of non-Chinese goods with long lead times who believed they had avoided the first salvo of US tariffs by loading their cargo before the prescribed “load-by” date and are now facing unexpected costs.

Strained relationships between London and Brussels have plagued trade negotiations over the past five years around complex issues including tariffs, regulations, fishing rights and the movement of people.

Under their current configuration, the newest round of tariffs targeting China’s maritime industry will add $7 billion in costs for US ports, according to one estimate.

Caterpillar and Deere are counting the sizable costs of tariff-related expenses, even with the announced 90-day tariff pause between the US and China.

Industry backlash mitigated the costliest components of the US Trade Representative’s proposed fees, but surcharges from some carriers are still likely on the way, writes Executive Editor Mark Szakonyi.

The canal agency highlighted data that refutes Trump administration claims about unfair treatment at the waterway, while the International Chamber of Shipping said freedom of navigation is a global responsibility.

Much of the volume that has been locked up over the past month will come flooding back into the market after Washington and Beijing agreed to significantly slash their respective tariffs for 90 days.

A request for industry comment on trucking regulations that could be modified or ended generated 896 responses in one month, with electronic logging devices and hours of service rules at the top of the list.

Stephen Carmel’s nomination to lead the agency comes after the White House withdrew previous nominee Brent Sadler from consideration for the post.

Interest in FTZs, where shippers can store goods while deferring the payment of duties, has increased dramatically since President Donald Trump implemented tariffs in April.

The restrictions have “effectively” made direct vessel calls to either Karachi or Port Qasim on India services operationally impossible, according to major container lines.

Rapidly growing occurrences of cargo theft in the US have compelled two early-stage technology companies to use data around truckload movements to assist law enforcement.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach complex, which handles about half of all US imports from Asia, is so far due to experience 59 blanked sailings between May 1 and June 30.

Chartered flights from China to the US have been canceled and air freight traffic has declined as Washington prepares to scrap the duty-free exemption for low-value goods shipped from China and Hong Kong.

Shippers and service providers say much of the project cargo industry dodged a bullet with the latest US fee proposal targeting Chinese-built ships.

The award is less than the electronics giant sought in its complaint against Zim over detention and demurrage billing, a case that saw the judge chide Zim’s billing practices.

Carriers and importers are dealing with confusion over how tariffs in general, and the trade war between Washington and Beijing specifically, will affect commerce on the US’ busiest trade lane over the next 12 months.

Amid the US-China trade dispute, inquiries for bonded storage north of the border have increased four-fold this month, according to one Canada-based third-party logistics provider.

Demand for light vehicles and components began 2025 on a sour note amid rising production costs, tariff uncertainty and projections for slower US economic growth.

The very idea of the United States getting back into shipbuilding at scale shows an erosion in acceptance of the concept of global trade, specifically comparative advantage.

While not ideal, the agreement reached at the IMO’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee at least puts a price on global emissions that will help narrow the yawning cost gap between fossil fuels and greener alternatives.

Carriers in the specialized cargo sector are designing contracts that would shift the cost of the US’ possible tax on Chinese tonnage to heavy-lift and project cargo shippers.

Multiple sources who spoke with the Journal of Commerce say Chinese exporters facing demand headwinds in the US due to soaring tariffs will likely attempt to dump inventory stocks in other markets, with India widely viewed as a key target.