Jaguar Freight | The Weekly Roar: New Rules

In this week’s Roar: U.S. container imports rebound, new rules for electronic export manifest filings, U.S. diesel prices up again, using AI competitively, and a new deal on greenhouse gas emissions.

U.S. container imports reboundedin January to 2.32 million TEUs after the slowdown in December. Port performance was mostly positive, with notable gains in the Houston and Gulf Coast gateways. Imports from China recovered 9.3% month over month but remained well below previous highs, while Southeast Asia continued to grow as a key sourcing region. Although resilient demand remains, the shipping outlook continues to be shaped by policy uncertainty, tariff risks, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.

In a proposed rule, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will require electronic export manifest filings before vessel loading. This will replace outdated paper forms and close several security gaps. Under the new rule, exporters must submit initial data 24 hours before loading and final data 2 hours prior. The change aims to spot high-risk exports earlier, improve and streamline compliance, and reduce supply chain disruptions.

The U.S. national average price for diesel is up for the fourth straight week, inching to $3.688 per gallon, according to the EIA. While the gain is minimal, it follows several bigger increases in January. On a year-over-year basis, diesel prices are up 2.3 cents compared to last February, or about 0.63% higher.

Many companies are using AI to cut costs, automate routine work, and boost efficiency. But the real competitive advantage emerges when organizations reinvest their efficiency gains into better decision-making, unique insights, and deeper customer understanding. Supply chain leaders across companies, including carriers, retailers, and manufacturers, have found ways to embed AI into planning and judgment, not just into execution. The bottom line? Winning with AI isn’t just about being faster. It’s about getting better.

The International Maritime Organization haslaunched a two-year global campaign under the World Maritime Day theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” aimed at ensuring its safety, security, and environmental standards are implemented consistently around the world. This push toward operationalizing IMO policy comes amid broader challenges at the IMO, including recent delays to the Net-Zero Framework vote due to political pressure that has slowed progress on binding green fuel and emissions mandates. IMO leaders stress that turning regulatory commitments into real-world results will require coordinated action from member states and industry stakeholders over the next two years.

For the rest of the week’s top shipping news, check out the article highlights here.