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When the Trump administration in early April announced a 90-day pause on “reciprocal” tariffs with much of the world and a subsequent 90-day pause on China tariffs, it unleashed a torrent of cargo into the global supply chain. Predictably, the spike in demand overwhelmed ports across Asia and Europe, leading to delays in ship berthing ranging from days to, in some cases, two weeks. With much of that cargo heading to the United States ahead of the July and August deadlines, fears of similar congestion are growing at major US gateways. For shippers of refrigerated goods, those delays exponentially increase the risk of spoilage and waste at its worst, but even in the best case can drive up costs rapidly, spark equipment shortages, and lead to shortages and domino-effect delays down the line. In an environment of high uncertainty, refrigerated shippers are living on a knife’s edge as they decide how much, when, and where to ship their goods with as little risk as possible in a market fraught with it.

This hour-long webcast, led by the industry-leading cold chain experts at Eskesen Advisory, will examine the impact US tariffs are having on temperature-sensitive goods, the disruptive effects of widespread port congestion, and the outlook for the remainder of the year.

Moderator:

Laura Robb, Associate Editor-Americas Container Market, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker (s):

Thomas Eskesen, Founder, Eskesen Advisory

Bruce Marshall, Head of Reefer Solutions, A.P. Moller-Maersk

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Partner

As the container shipping industry moves toward full-fleet digitalization, investments in smart container technology have surged — bringing real-time visibility, predictive insights, and new operational possibilities. Yet a fundamental challenge remains: how can these innovations translate into tangible, monetizable value?

In this webcast, Erik Christian Lund (EVP Maritime & Logistics, Nexxiot), Thomas Bagge (CEO, Digital Container Shipping Association), and Lars Jensen (CEO, Vespucci Maritime) explore the evolving economics of container IoT and the strategic shifts reshaping how visibility is deployed and monetized across the supply chain.

Drawing on insights on ongoing roll-outs and industry movements, this expert panel will address:

• The internal ROI case for smart containers: operational efficiencies, fleet optimization, and predictive repositioning

• The role of standardization in enabling interoperability and scale across global fleets

• Whether smart containers can finally break open the elusive value-added logistics market

• What adoption at scale looks like and how new predictive capabilities could reshape decision-making

• The broader strategic implications: can smart containers unlock new competitive advantages in an increasingly data-driven industry?

This session offers a candid discussion between industry leaders shaping the future of visibility, connectivity, and value creation in maritime logistics.

Moderator:

Alessandra Barrett, Associate Director, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speakers:

Thomas Bagge, CEO, Digital Container Shipping Association

Lars Jensen, CEO and President, Vespucci Maritime

Erik Christian Lund, Executive Vice President, Maritime & Logistics, Nexxiot

Partner:

When Donald Trump was elected US president last November, most US importers and exporters certainly knew what was in store: the continuation and/or renewal of tariffs-driven trade policy. Fewer, however, likely realized just how chaotic the on-again, off-again, on-again tariff roller coaster would be. The resulting whiplash effect has left importers and exporters in a state of uncertainty – first front-loading their cargoes to beat tariff deadlines, then pausing shipments to avoid the costs of the duties, then ramping up again as the administration delays implementation. The 90-day pauses on higher tariffs — expiring for nearly all countries on July 8 and for China imports on Aug 12 — helped trigger an earlier peak season for the winter holiday shopping season. But with US retail sales slowing and Americans pulling back on travel spending, the import momentum appears poised to hit a hard wall in the second half. US retailers in June downgraded import expectations for September to 1.78 million TEUs, which would also be a 21.6% drop compared with the same month last year. Importers expect to ship 20% less volume in October than a year before, as measured by the Global Port Tracker for the National Retail Federation. How container lines manage capacity in the face of weaker volumes will set the stage for the second half. A rise in blank sailings would challenge not just importers but also exporters grappling with changing windows for outbound shipments. And, while volumes aren’t likely to overwhelm ports as they did during the pandemic, the stop-and-start tariff-driven surges could challenge inland cargo flows, nonetheless.

In this hour-long webcast hosted by Journal of Commerce executive editor Mark Szakonyi, attendees will come away with a better understanding of the risks and pressures ahead.

Moderator: Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Paul Bingham, Director, Global Intelligence & Analytics, Transportation Consulting, S&P Global Market Intelligence

James Caradonna, Executive Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer, Spedag Americas

John McCauley, Consultant and Cargill (Ret)

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Partner

Changing tariff levels are giving top US importers and exporters, along with their smaller peers, figurative whiplash. Some shippers are under more pressure than others when it comes to the 90-day pause on higher imports for goods from other than the European Union (July 8) and China (Aug. 12). Beyond the pressures of getting goods into or out of a sourcing point, tariff changes and regulatory requirements are quickly changing and sometimes murky.

This 60-minute webcast will highlight the major findings from the Journal of Commerce’s Top 100 shipper rankings and special issue, a brief peak-season summary, and an update on customs issues, including uncertainty around shipment cut-off dates and how they apply to specific industries.

Moderator: Eric Johnson, Senior Editor, Technology, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Speaker(s):

Cindy Allen, CEO and Managing Director, Trade Force Multiplier LLC

Michael Angell, Senior Editor, Northeast and Gulf Coast Ports, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

*Check back soon for more information! Interested in sponsoring this webcast? For more information, please visit: https://subscribe.joc.com/mediasolutions/

Intermodal rail volumes began 2025 on strong footing, but rising geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions have clouded the outlook for the second half of the year. With ocean carriers increasingly blanking sailings out of China, western U.S. railroads are bracing for a drop in international intermodal volume to inland hubs such as Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, and Memphis. Eastern railroads may also feel some impact on traffic bound for Atlanta and the Ohio Valley.

Without a swift return to global trade stability, the ripple effects are likely to spill into domestic intermodal as well. J.B. Hunt reports that 20% to 30% of its intermodal business originates on the West Coast, closely aligning with Intermodal Association of North America estimates of 28% to 30% originating on the West Coast. Schneider cites a similar range, noting 15% to 25% of its intermodal traffic depends on US imports.

Cross-border volumes with Mexico under the USMCA may provide a modest cushion, but a sharp decline in West Coast demand could lead to a softer peak season and an absence of surcharges for shippers. At the same time, domestic intermodal contract pricing remains stagnant nationwide, with little expectation of movement until truckload spot and contract rates begin to rise.

This webcast will break down all these developments and more. We’ll examine market trends, pricing dynamics, and rail service performance, while also opening the floor to hear what’s on your mind.

Moderator:

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor-Intermodal Rail, Journal of Commerce by S&P Global

Russ Frayer, Director Intermodal, MODE Global

Brian Kobza, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), IMC Logistics

*Check back soon for more information! Interested in sponsoring this webcast? For more information, please visit: https://subscribe.joc.com/mediasolutions/