Assessing maritime choke points and leveraging partnerships in regions around the globe will serve as important strategies for EPC companies and forwarders in developing contingency plans for their projects.
But the conflict in the Middle East and resultant increase in fuel prices could weigh on nearer-term prospects, participants heard Tuesday at the Journal of Commerce’s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026.
Unveiled at Breakbulk26 in New Orleans this week, the Journal of Commerce’s new Breakbulk Shipper Index tracks a range of indicators including changes in volumes carried by different vessel types, lead time for chartering vessels, and load and discharge regions.
Hapag-Lloyd said the changes “reflect the consolidation of capacity into alternative services to ensure continued reliable coverage in the region.”
The European Union’s unratified tariff deal with the U.S. is now in the balance as proposed safety and emissions standards affect big truck imports.
The possibility can’t be ruled out that carrier-controlled port operations will commence in the next few years at Charleston and Savannah, where the state-operated model has prevailed for decades.
On July 12, smaller shipments must start including accurate length, width and height figures, but noncompliance fees won’t apply at the outset.
In addition to appointing Matt Lucas to guide improvements in the retailer’s supply chain network, Kyle Gorman was promoted to VP of distribution.
The parcel carriers say they will return duties to parties that originally bore the cost for invalidated levies once they receive refunds from Customs and Border Protection.
The less-than-truckload market is stabilizing, with opportunities for higher prices and profits in the second quarter, but the long-term outlook is still clouded by tariffs and geopolitical conflict.
