Jaguar Freight | Rate Trends in Ocean Freight, New Enforcement at the Border, Managing the growth of AI in the industry, and more

In this week’s Roar: Rate trends in ocean freight, new enforcement at the border, the Asia-Pacific air cargo market, Chinese-backed cyber espionage, and managing the growth of AI in the industry.

The global container freight market continues to show diverging trends across major trade lanes, according to the latest WCI. On the Transpacific trade, Shanghai to Los Angeles rates rose 2% while Shanghai to New York held steady, and blank sailings are set to climb from nine to 15 this week. On the Asia-Europe trade, rates fell 5% from Shanghai to Genoa and 4% from Shanghai to Rotterdam, and Drewry expects them to keep falling as more Suez Canal transits add capacity, outweighing the increase in blank sailings. The broader East-West market remains uncertain as Red Sea security risks and Panama Canal constraints persist, with rates expected to soften as China’s Golden Week approaches.

US Customs and Border Protection has started cracking down on inaccurate importer records and voiding importer-of-record numbers without warning. The new enforcement, effective immediately, risks stranding thousands of cargo shipments at US ports and border crossings. Any affected company, customs broker, or cross-border freight operator could face costly supply-chain disruptions as shipments are blocked and reverification is required.

Asia Pacific air cargo markets saw spot rates, tonnages, and capacity strengthen in mid-September, moving chargeable weight up 4% and spot rates up 3% week-on-week. Volumes from Vietnam to Europe rebounded 44%. Year-on-year, Asia-Pacific to US tonnages rose 17%, while Asia-Pacific to Europe volumes fell 6% amid post-holiday recovery and tariff impacts.

According to the EU’s cybersecurity agency ENISA, hackers linked to China, most notably Mustang Panda, have intensified cyberespionage attacks on European maritime organizations. In the EU, maritime transport accounted for 16.4% of transport-sector cyber incidents last year alone. Attackers use spear-phishing, compromised USB drives, and malware to infiltrate systems, targeting strategic intelligence rather than causing immediate disruption.

As AI capabilities accelerate, supply chain leaders are facing the challenge of adopting powerful new technologies while maintaining effective governance. Experts and early AI adopters are warning that unrestrained development could magnify risks, making robust oversight more important than ever. Companies need to be proactive and create clear rules and controls for AI deployment, emphasizing safety, accountability, and human judgment if they want to ensure sustainable innovation and stable supply chains.

Compliments of Jaguar Freight – a Member of the EACCNY