The Weekly Current

General

Welcome everyone to 2026! Although the outlook for the world market remains unclear due to current geopolitical situations, we move forward with what we do know.

2025 ended on a high note for the U.S. retail sector. Initial reports continue to show a year-over-year increase in household spending during the holidays, driven heavily by e-commerce.

Chinese New Year is right around the corner. While shipping rates are currently trending flat, we anticipate that the closer we get to the start of the holiday (February 17), the more inflated rates will become especially on eastbound transpacific trade lanes due to increased demand on already diminishing capacity. Our best advice at this time is to book early and remain in close contact with your suppliers and partner carriers.

We also know that the Supreme Court is expected to release a group of rulings tomorrow, January 9th. At this moment, it is unclear whether the legality of the reciprocal tariffs will be included in this session. Prior indications suggested there would not be a final judgment until early spring. Should anything arise, OCEANAIR will be your source for information.

Compliance – Exports

The AES (Automated Export System) was updated with a new license exception code for 2026. C79 has been newly added to flag exports involved in advanced semiconductor manufacturing to China. The annual update of HTS codes has also occurred in the AES environment and allows for a 30-day grace period.