The Weekly Current

General

Ocean container import volumes have continued their downward trend; YoY volumes have consistently declined for the last four months, averaging an 8% reduction from 2024.

Aside from the anticipated Chinese New Year surge in January 2026, all models suggest that prices per TEU will remain fairly flat throughout the upcoming year.

As we await the Supreme Court’s final ruling regarding the Trump IEEPA Tariffs, some U.S. manufacturers are holding back orders from overseas production. The hope is that the Court will strike down the legitimacy of the tariffs, allowing companies to avoid significant additional importation expenses. Even if this occurs, there is still no clear understanding of what may happen next. There remains a path for the administration to apply tariffs through alternative channels, and there is also the larger underlying question of whether refunds will be issued for past tariffs already paid by importers.

Air freight volume and pricing continue to hold strong as we approach the peak of the holiday season. Some of the increased volume can be attributed to the need for additional inventory, as the retail sector is experiencing record-high consumer spending—reportedly growing approximately 4% over 2024, translating to just over $1 trillion in November and December alone. Despite increased tariffs over the last year, spending remains on the rise. It will be interesting to see the breakdown of these numbers once final year-end reports are released, particularly to identify whether any specific sector stood out.

With only 20 days remaining in 2025, this will be our last current update of the year. We hope everyone reading this takes a moment out of their busy day to reflect on some of the positive things they have experienced over the past year. Although the trade industry has been extremely volatile, we look forward to highlighting some of the good things we have witnessed over the past twelve months in the coming weeks.

We look forward to bringing you more news, events, and stories in 2026.