Did You Know That…

…Sinking box rates and entrenched tariffs raise red flags on 2026.

· SCFI Shanghai-US west coast index falls to just $1,644 per feu — lowest since November 2023, prior to Red Sea attacks

· Leading US importer Walmart reports weekly cost increases, as it replenishes pre-tariff inventory with tariffed goods 

· Xeneta expects spot rate declines in both transpacific and Asia-Europe for the remainder of 3Q25 and into 4Q25.

Spot container rates are expected to be weak for the remainder of this year. That raises the question of how annual contract rates will reset in 2026, particularly given tariff headwinds in the US market.

 

…Ocean carriers and alliances in an 'aggressive push for market share'. The race for cargo has begun between carriers as volumes dip and fleet growth hits its new record, with the alliances eyeing different tactics.  

… Zim reroutes vessels after Turkey announces ban on port calls. Zim is rerouting its vessels away from Turkish ports following the government in Ankara’s prohibition on port calls by Israel-linked vessels.

…China and Saudi Arabia strengthen shipping ties with new service and dry port

Saudi Ports Authority launches a new Jeddah container service link to China. Cosco Shipping and Saudi PSS partner on eastern dry port, boosting inland logistics and intermodal connectivity.

…This week we concluded the recruitment of two priority countries in Europe by appointing strong partners in France and Hungary. The announcement with full details will follow shortly.

On behalf of the board and all members, I’d like to welcome QUALITAIR & SEA in France en HUNICORN Logistics in Hungary as new members of the EAA family.

…Both new members will be attending the next EAA Network Annual Conference, from 24-27 March, 2026 in Istanbul. The registration for this event was opened this week as well and many companies from all continents have already signed up, more to follow !

…European postal operators are suspending goods shipments to the United States after Washington abolished the de minimis rule, which had allowed imports below USD 800 duty-free. From late August, all items must be cleared and carriers are held liable for compliance. Österreichische Post, Deutsche Post DHL, BPost (Belgium) and PostNord (Scandinavia), amongst others,  will no longer accept parcels with goods for the USA until further notice. Exempt are letters, documents and private gifts under USD 100 marked as a gift.

 

…Air cargo charters help US shippers navigate tariff. The ongoing US tariff dispute is fuelling volatility for supply chain managers. With deadlines shifting and higher US-China tariffs postponed until November, many firms are turning to air charters to move goods before levies apply.

…The green transition has a surprising new home. Forget about northern Europeans, with their coalition governments and love of cycling.  Picture a country where renewables are being rapidly rolled out and electric-vehicle sales are surging, and you will probably have in mind somewhere smug and northern European; a place with tall people, coalition governments and a yen for cycling holidays. Or perhaps the first thing that pops into your head is the sheer scale of China, which manufactures the bulk of such equipment and last year contributed more than half of the global increase in solar and wind installation. Think again. For a wave of Chinese-made electric vehicles is flooding new markets. In the past year sales of EVs have more than tripled in Turkey, where Togg, a local brand, is also popular—they now account for 27% of all cars sold, making the country the fourth-largest European market. Last year more than 70% of cars imported into Nepal were electric. Some 60% of new cars sold in Ethiopia were battery-powered, after the state banned sales of internal-combustion-engine vehicles altogether. EV sales have doubled in Vietnam over the past year owing, in part, to VinFast, a local carmaker. Two- and three-wheelers are surging in popularity, too. The International Energy Agency (IEA), a forecaster, reckons that across developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America EV sales rose by 60% in 2024. It is a similar story with renewables. In the first six months of the year, Pakistan generated 25% of its electricity from solar power—not far below the 32% managed by California, a clean-energy pioneer.

…US rail mega-merger facing heavy opposition from unions and shippers. The proposed $72bn marriage of Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) is facing growing opposition that not only includes labour organisations and shipper groups, but also the other Class I carriers.

…Upswing in LatAm-Africa traffic, but capacity may be a challenge. Poor capacity options could hobble one of the bright spots in global trade with increasing cross-directional demand from shippers in between Africa and Latin America.

…Russia starts exporting containerised goods from occupied Sevastopol.

·         China-owned, Panama-flagged containership has made four suspected voyages since June

·         Vessel manipulates its positional data to disguise loadings

·         Egypt and Libya among countries of next calling.

The sanctioned port of Sevastopol is now being used for containerised exports, having long been a hub for dark grain shipments.

…According to a report from our friends of Transolve Australia, it has now been confirmed that wines and spirits will also be subject to the 15% tariff  for the EU countries, outlined by Trump. With the US the largest market for many European wine and spirit makers, and Europe a major export destination for U.S. spirits like bourbon, the impact of this tariff is likely to be signifcant.

…Cosco Shipping Ports silent on CK Hutchison deal but commits to continued expansion. CSP declined to comment on the delayed sale of CK Hutchison’s global port assets, while signalling it will keep expanding abroad despite geopolitical headwinds. Company is prioritising emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, as overseas terminals helped lift first‑half profit by more than 30%.

…CIMC sees container sales volumes drop amid tariff uncertainty. The world’s largest maker of containers reported an almost 19% drop in dry box sales volumes in the first half of 2025, citing last year’s high base and tariff uncertainty. Chinese giant expects stable demand for new boxes ahead, supported by buffer stock and replacement of ageing units.

…Your editor will be on annual leave as from next week. This means that there will be no DYKT News until week 40..

 

…Surveys have ascertained that blue is the most common favourite colour worldwide.

 

…This DYKT news bulletin will be published on the website as well, go to www.eaanetwork.com.

 

Have a good weekend, we’ll be back in a couple of weeks !