Midyear Container Shipping Outlook: Analyzing the Peak Season

Last year’s peak season was anything but normal. The front-loading of cargo to beat a series of US tariffs on Chinese goods, coupled with a pullback in capacity related to carrier anticipation of weakening demand, frustrated shippers and forwarders as demand at times overwhelmed the system. Although this year’s peak season might be a bit softer than a year ago, US consumer confidence is still strong as shippers ramp up for the holiday gift-giving season. The big question is whether the supply chain will operate efficiently, or whether carriers manage capacity by rolling cargo, streamline services, or pull ships out of service for retrofitting ahead of the January implementation of the IMO’s low-sulfur fuel mandate.

This webcast will analyze the outlook for the summer-fall peak season with a focus on the following issues:

• The outlook for US importers.

• The macro economy: Is a slowdown ahead?

• The impact of tariffs and what’s next in the US-China trade war.

• Supply chain hotspots and the risk for disruption.

Moderator:
Chris Brooks, Director, Programming, JOC Events, Maritime & Trade, IHS Markit

Speakers:
Jonathan Gold, Vice President, Supply Chain and Customs Policy, National Retail Federation
Alan Murphy, CEO & Founder, Sea-Intelligence ApS