Freight market update - 16 October 2025

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• U.S. importers are facing a dual challenge this month due to the introduction of U.S. port tariffs on Chinese vessels and the ongoing Government shutdown, which has reduced staffing across critical federal agencies.

• Starting 14 October, carriers must demonstrate that port fees have been paid in advance or risk being denied unloading access at U.S. ports, while China has announced its own countermeasures in response.

• FAK (Freight All Kinds) contracts remain below long-term rates, and no Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) has been applied on long-term deals.

• New U.S. measures on Chinese-built or Chinese-operated vessels take effect from 14 October, introducing fees of $50 per net ton or $120 per TEU, increasing annually and capped at five voyages per vessel per year.

• The temporary U.S.-China trade agreement expires on 10 November; if not renewed, tariffs on Chinese imports could surge back to 145%, adding further uncertainty.

• According to KPMG, many companies are now leveraging generative AI and orchestration tools to make smarter decisions around procurement, routing, and fulfillment.

• MSC has replaced its NEWUSEC1 service with the Albatros rotation, maintaining U.S. East Coast coverage but removing London Gateway from the route.

Read on for more in-depth updates.

Asia → North America

US/CA

Transpacific Trends and Market Updates

• October rates declined across most trade lanes, though carriers have hinted at possible increases later in the month as demand is expected to rise after Golden Week.
• FAK (Freight All Kinds) contracts remain below long-term rates, and no Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) has been applied on long-term deals.
• Overall demand remained muted through early October, with no notable pre-holiday peak.
• Carriers increased blank sailings to balance supply with weaker demand, particularly leading up to Golden Week.
• Capacity fell in weeks 40 and 41 — down by as much as 28% on the U.S. West Coast — while the East Coast saw a temporary 46% surge.
• Capacity is expected to recover quickly post-Golden Week, with overall space availability remaining healthy.
• Port congestion remains under control on both coasts, and with demand subdued, shippers continue to find space despite reduced sailings.
• New U.S. measures on Chinese-built or Chinese-operated vessels take effect from 14 October, introducing fees of $50 per net ton or $120 per TEU, increasing annually and capped at five voyages per vessel per year.
• Additional tariffs on Chinese goods, including furniture and lumber, are also set to begin in mid-October.
• The temporary U.S.-China trade agreement expires on 10 November; if not renewed, tariffs on Chinese imports could surge back to 145%, adding further uncertainty.
• New port charges on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated vessels are set to take effect on 14 October, adding both regulatory and cost pressures for carriers operating on this trade route.
• The market remains stable but oversupplied, with steady demand between Europe and the U.S.; however, carriers continue to introduce extra tonnage and larger vessels, leading to an imbalance between supply and demand.
• To counter the oversupply, carriers have been implementing blank sailings to better align capacity with current market needs.
• MSC has replaced its NEWUSEC1 service with the Albatros rotation, maintaining U.S. East Coast coverage but removing London Gateway from the route.
• This adjustment reduces available capacity for European shippers and limits alternative sailing options.
• Persistent congestion at both European and U.S. East Coast ports continues to extend transit times, even when vessels depart Europe on schedule.
• Weekly capacity is showing sharp fluctuations, with major reductions expected in weeks 41 and 45 before a rebound later in the quarter.
• Shippers should anticipate reduced flexibility and fewer contingency options as carriers consolidate sailings to stabilize operations.

Air — Central China

• SHA (Shanghai): Market stable before the holiday. Dense cargo space remains constrained, particularly at LAX, while SFO is more balanced.
• USEC: Market remains “hot” with limited space due to recent flight cancellations. Ecommerce volumes are lighter pre-holiday, but general cargo bookings are strong and harder to secure.
• NGB (Ningbo): Space remains tight, and all bookings are handled case by case.

Air — North China

• TSN (Tianjin): Market remains hot, with KE/OZ/JL freighters offering earlier ETDs. Lead times of 4–5 days are required.
• DLC/PEK (Dalian/Beijing): Most carriers are stable, and UA flights have fully resumed. Dense shipments can access spot space, but high-volume cargo requires 6–7 days’ advance notice.
• TAO (Qingdao): Market remains hot, particularly for East Coast routes where space is tight. Spot options are still open for dense or urgent cargo.

Air — South China

• CAN (Guangzhou): Peak-season pressure is building, with rate increases likely over the weekend. Final pricing is handled case by case.
• SZX (Shenzhen): Market steady but expensive, with bookings coordinated directly with carriers.
• XMN (Xiamen): Space very tight heading into the holiday, especially for East Coast destinations (JFK/ORD). Carriers are expected to raise rates further as October progresses.

Turkey → North America

• North American supply chains continue to experience pressure from changing tariffs, port congestion, and global routing disruptions.
• These challenges are resulting in longer lead times and inconsistent carrier performance across the region.
• Some manufacturers accelerated orders ahead of tariff announcements, while others altered sourcing strategies or adjusted shipment timing due to ongoing uncertainty.
• The role of lead logistics support is evolving, as businesses face growing pressure to improve planning accuracy and react more quickly to disruptions.
• According to KPMG, many companies are now leveraging generative AI and orchestration tools to make smarter decisions around procurement, routing, and fulfillment.
• However, technology alone is not sufficient — the true differentiator lies in how effectively data, systems, and stakeholders are integrated.
• To manage these challenges, companies should prioritize building end-to-end visibility across their supply chains.
• Consolidating transport and inventory data into a unified view enables teams to identify delays early and respond proactively.
• Predictive alerts and exception management tools can support faster reactions to disruptions, minimizing customer impact and cost.
• It is also advisable to validate alternative routing options, particularly for shippers vulnerable to West Coast congestion or single-lane dependencies.

North America → Turkey

• U.S. importers are facing a dual challenge this month due to the introduction of U.S. port tariffs on Chinese vessels and the ongoing Government shutdown, which has reduced staffing across critical federal agencies.
• Reduced numbers of inspectors and overstretched air traffic controllers are already causing delays at airports, disrupting international cargo networks.
• Congestion at major ports is worsening simultaneously, leading to vessel delays and reduced container availability.
• For shippers, these challenges are resulting in longer transit times, unpredictable schedules, and increasing costs across sectors such as automotive and e-commerce.
• Adding to these disruptions is the imminent implementation of new USTR port fees targeting Chinese vessels.
• Starting 14 October, carriers must demonstrate that port fees have been paid in advance or risk being denied unloading access at U.S. ports, while China has announced its own countermeasures in response.
• The financial strain is now falling directly on shipping operators, with estimates indicating that major carriers could face billions of dollars in additional costs.
• This has led to urgent calls from industry leaders for mitigation strategies, although concrete responses remain limited so far.
• For the moment, both sides of the port fee dispute appear willing to absorb short-term impacts while leveraging regulatory actions for negotiating power.
• The logistics robots market is set to undergo major transformation by 2025, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, workforce evolution, and sustainability initiatives that continue to reshape supply chain operations.
• The integration of generative AI with large behavioral models marks a crucial turning point for the industry, enabling robots to learn, adapt, and generalize complex skills.
• Innovations such as Covariant’s robotics foundation models and Toyota’s behavioral models showcase these capabilities in areas like manipulation, navigation, and decision-making across diverse logistics environments.
• The logistics robots ecosystem is a rapidly evolving network characterized by consolidation, geographical clustering, and innovative business models.
• By 2033, the total ecosystem value is projected to reach approximately $39.55 billion, reflecting strong vertical integration among leading players and specialized supplier partnerships for critical technologies.
• North America currently holds the highest potential growth rate with relatively low adoption, positioning it as a key frontier for logistics robotics expansion.
• The region also leads in material handling and automation technologies, showing the highest CAGR globally.
• The U.S. Department of Energy’s Technology Integration group is actively studying next-generation logistics automation through extensive trials involving over 200 drone flights and 50 test robots for package delivery.
• These studies include developing energy-use models, route optimization algorithms, and urban infrastructure strategies to support the safe and scalable deployment of commercial delivery robots.

Terminal Updates

Vessels heading to North America via the North Atlantic Sea are expected to have a change in schedule due to severe weather conditions.

New York:

• Average vessel waiting time at APMT (for Gemini and non-Gemini vessels) is 6 hours; Maher Terminals also report around 6 hours.
• Gate turn times: 47 minutes for single and 68 minutes for double transactions at APMT; 34 minutes at Maher Terminals.
• Import rail dwell: 0.25 days at APMT, 0.8 days at Maher.
• APMT: All East berth cranes are operational. Five cranes are active on the South berth, with one crane out of service until end of November.

Norfolk:

• Waiting time for Gemini and non-Gemini vessels: up to 1.5 days.
• Gate turn times: 27/37.3 minutes for single/double at Norfolk International Terminal; 33.2/50.9 minutes for single/double at Virginia International Gateway.
• Import dwell time: 2.67 days.
• NIT currently has 2700’ of usable berth space, limiting berthing to two large vessels (1100’+) at a time.
• New cranes have arrived and are targeted for operational use in January.

Charleston Terminal:

• One vessel waiting at Wando berth; no vessels at anchor for North Charleston.
• Waiting time: None at North Charleston Terminal.
• Truck turn times: Wando Welch – 19.4 mins, North Charleston – 16.1 mins, Leatherman – 19.4 mins.
• Import dwell: 5.3 days (Wando Welch) and 14.5 days (North Charleston).

Savannah:

• Vessel waiting time: Up to 1.5 days (Class 1) and 2.0 days (Class 2).
• Gate turn times: 32/47 minutes for single/double transactions.
• Import dwell: 7.6 days; rail dwell: 0.7 days.
• HLC dwell times: Import (discharge to rail load) – 1.3 days; Export (rail unload to vessel load) – 6.3 days.

Houston:

• Waiting time: None for Gemini and non-Gemini vessels at Barbours Cut or Bayport terminals.
• Gate turn times: Barbours Cut – 33 mins (single), 51 mins (double); Bayport – 39 mins (single), 60 mins (double).
• Loaded import dwell: 3.6 days (Barbours Cut), 3.5 days (Bayport).
• Bayport currently has 1 crane down.
• Yard utilization at Barbours Cut remains high; receiving days and cut-off times are being adjusted frequently to maintain terminal fluidity.

Oakland:

• No current vessel waiting time (Gemini or non-Gemini) at Oakland International Container Terminal.
• Average import deliveries: up to 4 days.
• Gate turn time: 78 minutes.
• One crane is down at Oakland International Container Terminal; XC13 RTS status: TBA.

Seattle-Tacoma:

• One vessel currently working at Husky Tacoma 0 at T18.
• Import rail dwell: 2.9 days (Husky), 3 days (T18).
• Gate turn times: 31.4 minutes at T18; 73.3 minutes (single) and 104.6 minutes (double) at Husky (F-Lot & Terminal combined).

Los Angeles/Long Beach:

• All terminal gates operating per published schedules and in line with the PierPass program.
• Port of Los Angeles local import cargo: 3.2 days.
• On-dock rail time: 3.4 days.
• Import units on street: 3.8 days (20 ft) / 6.7 days (40+ ft)
• Port of Long Beach dwell times: 4–8 days for local imports.
• Gate turn times (Long Beach Container Terminal): 48–54 minutes, depending on shift.

Chassis Pools

All pools are operating as normal except:

1. El Paso – Deficit on 40’ chassis.
2. Baltimore – Constrained on 20’ and 40’ chassis.

Intermodal Operations

Truck power can be secured within 1-3 days for the majority of locations, including marine terminals, rail ramps, and depots.

Port Status

Final Thoughts

In light of the latest updates and trends, the market is currently in the course of showing robust performance and is equipped with ample capacity and resources. Individuals and businesses involved in import/export activities must stay well-informed about market dynamics and strategies to make informed decisions.

To ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience with your import/export operations, it is recommended to seek guidance from industry experts. Taking proactive measures and staying proactive in your approach will help you navigate the market effectively. We greatly appreciate your continued readership and encourage you to subscribe to our weekly market updates to stay abreast of the latest developments and insights.