maritime shipping

On Sunday (June 14th), President Trump announced a peace deal with Iran via a Truth Social post: The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully [...]

When I first started writing about international shipping more than 15 years ago, a rollercoaster was the best metaphor to describe the industry, with its volatile, up-and-down freight rates for [...]

Last week, we blogged on the opening of the Hormuz Strait, but with the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran feeling tenuous and Iran warning of possible mines in the water and [...]

With the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, but shipping traffic through it is reportedly at a trickle. According to a Reuters article by [...]

It’s time to look at what’s happening with freight rates. Whenever there’s a disaster, crisis, or disruption to a major shipping hub, freight rates are impacted. Usually, that [...]

This is a guest post by Jake Herrera. During each year, shipping volume swings wildly. It only takes weeks for freight availability to go from comfortable to tight. This often happens when [...]

Oil Prices Outlook Oil has always been a large factor in international shipping costs. The Iran War, with the closure of the Straight of Hormuz, effectively cut off shipping access through the [...]

This is a guest post by Jordan Ellis. U.S. Gulf ports can seem calm on Monday and strained by Thursday because ships, trucks, yards, and rail links react fast to small shocks. So, many logistics [...]

Next month, large fees on Chinese-built ships calling on U.S. ports goes into effect. They’re not going to be as enormous as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer initially [...]

In the wake of surging shipping demand from China to the U.S., Chinese ports are experiencing congestion. That should push transpacific freight rates, which are already climbing fast, to go even [...]

Tariffs have dominated international shipping headlines lately, as well as Universal Cargo's blog. However, they are not the only action the Trump Administration is taking in relation to global [...]

This is a guest post by Victor Kowalski. Freight. That one word – simple, sturdy, even a little old-fashioned – belies a world of complexity that’s likely keeping your average logistic manager [...]

Today's blog will answer questions about President Trump's tariffs in regards to China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. But first, an introduction... It's almost old news that the trade war with China [...]

Those importing from Asia, China in particular, will see a dip in capacity from carriers here in February, according to maritime intelligence company eeSea. Blame is falling on carrier alliance [...]

“China’s so-called ‘socialist market economy’ has evolved and turned decidedly predatory in nature" and "With China’s strong embrace of predatory behavior, it is apparent that the US strategy [...]

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) updated its list of "Chinese military companies" for 2025 and added China Cosco Shipping Corporation Limited, which we usually just refer to as Cosco or COSCO [...]

With only about a week before a new International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) strike could shut down East and Gulf Coast ports, the ILA returns to the negotiation table with the United [...]

41 Days... Tuesday's blog had a positive tone regarding the situation with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) at East and Gulf Coast ports. The union's praise for President Trump [...]

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), representing dockworkers at America's East and Gulf Coast ports, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing their employers, [...]

Why is there an International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) Strike Watch 2025? Because if a new master contract isn't negotiated between now and January 15th, the ILA could be back on the [...]