Freight Rates

Global seaborne coal volumes increased by 5% year-on-year in May 2026, driven by strong South Asian demand.

The Baltic Dry Index fell for the tenth straight day, dropping 1.5% to its lowest point since May 1st

Saudi Arabia's crude oil shipments to China are expected to remain at record lows in July due to high prices.

Agricultural retailers fear higher freight rates and reduced service quality from a proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern rail merger

COSCO Shipping Lines has announced an Emergency Bunker Surcharge for cargo moving to or through US East, Gulf, and West Coast ports.

Fiji Water created a private shipping network during the pandemic to counter severe capacity shortages in ocean freight

Intermodal freight costs are increasing for shippers as IMCs reject lower-priced cargo, pushing them to more expensive routing.

Truckload carriers anticipate a prolonged period of rate recovery, signaling a potential shift in market dynamics.

Empty containers stuck in the Persian Gulf are tightening global supply, forcing carriers to lease more equipment

Producer prices jumped 6.5% in May 2026, largely driven by higher energy costs, indicating upstream inflationary pressure

Hapag-Lloyd announced an updated Peak Season Surcharge for cargo from Asia and Oceania to West and East Africa

The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) declined by 42 points, reaching 2729, reflecting changes in dry bulk shipping costs.

Swire Shipping is raising rates for cargo to Townsville, Darwin, and Dili, effective June 25, 2026, due to increased operating costs

Hapag-Lloyd's CEO states that normalizing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will take at least three months post-reopening

Crude oil markets experienced significant volatility in 2026, setting a new intraday trading record in March.

Multipurpose shipping rates experienced a slight dip in June 2026, according to Toepfer Transport's latest index.

China's passenger car exports, especially EVs, soared 73% in May, boosting car carrier charter rates and container demand

Forwarders are adopting agentic AI for ocean freight pricing, with Gartner predicting rapid enterprise adoption by 2030

US container imports fell 5.1% in April, reaching 2.05 million TEUs, a 7.3% year-over-year decline.

Iran's IRGC claims hitting two ships and declares the Strait of Hormuz closed to all vessels, including tankers

Geopolitical events have reshaped tanker markets, causing longer voyages and tighter fleet supply, leading to increased freight volatility

Container shipping costs from Asia to the US have doubled due to the Iran war, rising fuel prices, and increased importer demand

Commercial trucking carriers are experiencing increased legal costs from large civil lawsuit awards, impacting their financial stability

Burlington is leveraging ocean contracts and optimizing cargo loading to combat rising freight costs.

Ocean freight rates from India to the US West Coast have surged due to carriers shifting vessel capacity to more lucrative Trans-Pacific…

Container spot rates from North Asia to Brazil are approaching two-year highs after blank sailings surged to a three-year peak

FreightWaves' SONAR has launched the Accepted SONAR Truckload Volume Index (ASTVI) to track actual moving freight volume.

Truckload spot rates are expected to remain elevated through 2026 due to strong seasonal demand and tightening capacity

Global air cargo demand is set to outpace capacity growth over the next decade, potentially restricting market expansion

Hapag-Lloyd will apply a Peak Season Surcharge to all container types heading to Australia from various regions.