Container Bytes: Weekly Ocean & Air Freight Intelligence for Supply Chain Pros

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 Julia Frohwein is feeling much better and less congested this week, joining Judah Levine to analyze the latest dynamics in global logistics. In this episode, we unpack why renewed escalation between the US and Iran has pushed fuel prices back up to June baselines—around 60% higher than pre-war levels. While rising energy costs are setting a higher floor for freight rates, market levels on major trade lanes continue to be dictated by peak demand cycles and severe supply constraints. We evaluate the Transpacific market as spot rates plateau at $7,600/FEU to the West Coast and $9,500/FEU to the East Coast, matching 2024 peak levels. We break down how Far East port congestion from ongoing typhoons is forcing blank sailings, while the Panama Canal Authority has temporarily postponed its planned October draft reductions while maintaining transit limits. Finally, we look at why Asia-Mediterranean rates dropped to parity with Asia-North Europe at $4,500/FEU, driven by increased Red Sea transits on Mediterranean services, alongside recent air cargo disruptions from an Amazon Air crash in Miami, volcanic activity in Indonesia, and Far East typhoon delays. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Less Congested: Julia returns in better health. 00:00:24 — Middle East Escalation & Fuel Baselines: Bunker prices return to June levels. 00:01:58 — Transpacific Peak Plateau: Spot rates hold near 2024 highs. 00:03:00 — Typhoon Gridlock & Blank Sailings: Schedule recovery actions in Asia. 00:04:05 — Panama Canal Update: Draft cuts postponed while transit limits remain. 00:06:19 — Asia-Mediterranean Parity: How Red Sea transits are impacting European rates. 00:07:09 — European Port Gridlock: Rhine water levels and port labor strikes. 00:08:17 — Air Cargo Incidents: Miami freighter crash, Indonesian volcano, and typhoon rates. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 Julia Frohwein powers through a congestion-filled cold alongside Judah Levine to break down a busy week across global trade and shipping. In this episode, we unpack why the Strait of Hormuz is heating back up from a cold war into active kinetic strikes. Despite US de-mining progress in the central channel, retaliatory missile strikes between US and Iranian forces have locked commercial transit into a continued stalemate, keeping energy prices elevated and regional Gulf feeder routing disrupted. We also examine a major divergence in the ocean freight market. While Asia-Europe spot rates continue to cool, Transpacific rates hit new peak season highs of $7,600/FEU to the West Coast and $9,800/FEU to the East Coast. We explore three key drivers behind this unexpected late-summer demand surge: stable post-Section 122 tariffs, a structural shift toward ocean transport for heavy data center materials, and major retailers investing recent IEEPA tariff refunds into price cuts and holiday inventory. Finally, we track the massive operational gridlock in Asia, where a relentless series of five major typhoons—most recently Typhoon Saodele—has left up to 90 ships waiting up to 11 days for berths at Shanghai and Ningbo, keeping a strong floor under global freight rates. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Powering Through: Julia hosts under the weather. 00:00:20 — Strait of Hormuz Escalation: De-mining efforts and retaliatory strikes. 00:01:43 — Transpacific Rate Surge: West Coast reaches $7,600/FEU and East Coast hits $9,800/FEU. 00:03:00 — Drivers of Demand: Tariff stability, data center hardware, and IEEPA refunds. 00:04:20 — Panama Canal Restrictions: Preemptive drought measures and September surcharges. 00:05:05 — Asia-Europe Cool Down: Rates ease as port congestion limits price drops. 00:06:00 — Five-Typhoon Gridlock: Typhoon Saodele leaves 90 ships waiting at Shanghai. 00:07:15 — Transatlantic Capacity Squeeze: Blank sailings push rates up to $2,600/FEU. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 Julia Frohwein is back from vacation, joining Judah Levine to analyze a hectic week across international trade and global freight. In this episode, we break down the last-minute breakdown of US-Canada trade talks. Despite weekend announcements that an agreement was signed, negotiations collapsed over last-minute demands, triggering 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of cross-border goods for both countries. We explore how this cross-border disruption mostly impacts trucking rather than ocean freight, alongside new US sanctions against countries trading with Iran and looming November port call fees on Chinese-built vessels. We also dive into the ocean freight market, where trade routes continue to diverge. On the Transpacific, West Coast rates rebounded to $7,600/FEU—matching July peaks—while East Coast rates climbed to $9,800/FEU. This resilience is supported by steady US consumer spending and a smooth transition from Section 122 to Section 301 forced-labor tariffs. Conversely, Asia-Europe rates continue to ease, dropping to $5,000/FEU to the Mediterranean and $4,700/FEU to North Europe, though severe congestion from Far East typhoons and Rhine River droughts is keeping a floor under prices. Finally, we track the growing list of carriers—now including MSC alongside CMA CGM, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and Cosco—reinstating transits through the Red Sea as high bunker fuel costs and chronic port gridlock outweigh security concerns. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Welcome Back: Julia returns from vacation. 00:00:25 — US-Iran Sanctions: Tightening pressure and China-US trade implications. 00:02:10 — Red Sea Resumption: MSC joins the list of carriers returning to Suez. 00:04:45 — US-Canada Tariff Collapse: Last-minute breakdown triggers 50% retaliatory tariffs. 00:06:20 — Transpacific Rate Resilience: West Coast hits $7,600/FEU and East Coast reaches $9,800/FEU. 00:08:50 — Panama Canal Surcharges: Importers prepare for upcoming October draft cuts. 00:09:45 — River Drought Congestion: Rhine and Amazon low water levels tie up port capacity. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome to this week's edition of Container Bytes! Judah Levine, Head of Research at Freightos, is hosting solo again this week while Julia continues her vacation. In this episode, we unpack why ocean carriers—including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, Cosco, and MSC—are taking steps to resume Red Sea transits despite the collapse of the US-Iran memorandum and ongoing Houthi threats. Driven by surging bunker fuel prices, the extended trip around Africa's Cape of Good Hope has grown significantly more expensive. Combined with chronic port congestion that is tying up global fleet capacity, carriers are re-evaluating the economics of shorter Red Sea transits. We also examine the broader container market where port congestion in North Europe and Asia has shifted from a seasonal issue to a baseline operational constraint. While Asia-Europe rates have cooled about 20% from their July highs to $5,000/FEU, Transpacific West Coast rates surged back to $7,400/FEU, and East Coast prices remain elevated above $9,000/FEU. Finally, we track upcoming cost factors hitting importers in September: emergency bunker surcharges, Panama Canal draft reductions ahead of projected El Niño droughts, and air cargo rate fluctuations following recent typhoons. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Solo Session: Judah hosting while Julia remains on vacation. 00:00:10 — Strait of Hormuz Status Quo: MOU expiration resets regional baselines. 00:00:46 — Red Sea Routing Economics: High bunker costs drive carriers back to Suez. 00:02:19 — Chronic Port Congestion: How gridlock became the baseline in Europe and Asia. 00:04:07 — Asia-Europe Rate Cooling: Spot prices drop 20% from July peaks. 00:05:21 — Transpacific Resilience: West Coast rebounds to $7,400 as demand holds. 00:06:16 — Surcharge Wave: BAF increases and Panama Canal restrictions set for September. 00:08:26 — Air Cargo Shifts: Typhoon disruptions and post-de minimis capacity movements. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome to this week's edition of Container Bytes! I'm Judah Levine, Head of Research, hosting solo this week as Julia takes a well-deserved vacation. 📍 In this episode, we unpack why the anticipated Oman-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has fallen apart. New demands from Iran—including reparations, transit fees, and vessel bans—have pushed hopes of an imminent resolution back, returning regional maritime transport to a strict wartime status quo. However, in a surprising counter-trend, ocean carriers including Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, Cosco, and CMA CGM are reinstating select Red Sea transits despite localized Houthi threats against Saudi-linked trade. We also break down the divergence across global ocean freight routes. While Asia-Europe spot rates have fallen about 15% ($1,000/FEU) from their early summer peaks due to easing demand, Transpacific rates have stubbornly rebounded. West Coast rates surged back to $7,400/FEU, and East Coast prices climbed to $9,400/FEU. Finally, we analyze why the National Retail Federation (NRF) just revised its forecast: instead of an early end to peak season, US importers are sustaining strong demand through August and September thanks to resilient consumer spending and a smooth transition from Section 122 to Section 301 tariffs. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Solo Session: Judah hosting while Julia is on vacation. 00:00:13 — Oman Deal Collapse: Iranian demands push back Hormuz reopening hopes. 00:01:43 — The Red Sea Pivot: Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and Cosco step back into the Red Sea. 00:03:02 — Rate Floor Reality: Energy prices hold steady while spot rates diverge. 00:03:36 — Asia-Europe Cool Down: Rates drop 15% amid blank sailings and Rhine River droughts. 00:05:26 — The Transpacific Rebound: West Coast jumps back to $7,400 as demand holds. 00:07:19 — NRF Revision: Why US peak season is lasting longer than expected. 00:08:44 — Air Cargo Adjustment: Jet fuel surcharges push China-North America to $6/kg. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 We hope you didn't miss us too much during our one-week hiatus—we are back in action. In this episode, Julia Frohwein and Judah Levine examine a potential new diplomatic development: a proposed bilateral agreement between Iran and Oman aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Under this proposal, vessels would coordinate entry through the northern Iranian channel and exit via the southern Omani channel, without transiting tolls for 60 days. We analyze what this means for ocean carriers, why long-haul container vessels will likely remain cautious until stability is guaranteed, and how recent energy market shifts have brought crude oil prices down while bunker fuel costs remain 50% above pre-war baselines. We also dive into the ocean freight spot market, where major trade lanes are beginning to diverge. Asia-Europe and Mediterranean rates have dropped roughly 15% from their July peaks, with Asia-North Europe falling to $5,000/FEU. Conversely, Transpacific West Coast rates spiked by $1,000 to $7,000/FEU following August 1st GRIs, supported by low inventory levels and ongoing front-loading activity. Finally, we look at the tariff landscape following the July 24th expiration of Section 122 tariffs, as the White House rolls out Section 301 forced-labor replacement tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% across 60 trading partners. Chapters: 00:00:00 — We're Back: Returning from hiatus. 00:00:25 — The Iran-Oman Framework: A new proposal to reopen Hormuz. 00:02:12 — Carrier Caution: Why mega-ships are waiting out the diplomatic process. 00:04:00 — Energy Market Shift: Crude prices drop as bunker fuel costs remain elevated. 00:05:15 — Rate Divergence: Asia-Europe rates ease while Transpacific rebounds. 00:07:36 — Tariff Transition: Section 122 expires as new Section 301 tariffs take effect. 00:10:32 — Weather Gridlock: Consecutive typhoons maintain pressure on port capacity. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 Just a reminder that we are taking a one-week hiatus next week (July 29th), but we will be right back the following week. In this episode, Julia Frohwein and Judah Levine tackle the newest dimension of maritime disruption: the Houthis have officially announced a transit closure through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait targeting Saudi-linked vessels and those calling at Saudi ports. This localized escalation strikes at the heart of Saudi Arabia's pipeline bypass strategy, forcing oil and regional cargo into longer, more expensive detours. We also examine the ocean freight market, where spot rates are finally leveling off after months of aggressive increases. While crude, bunker, and jet fuel prices have rebounded by 12% to 25% over the past few weeks, the July 15th GRIs failed to materialize, indicating that the early peak season demand surge has passed its peak. However, severe port congestion in North Asia—exacerbated by a massive typhoon that left over 100 vessels waiting at Shanghai—is absorbing capacity and preventing a sharp collapse in rates. Finally, we break down the expiration of the US Section 122 tariffs on July 24th, the upcoming Section 301 forced-labor replacement tariffs targeting 60 trading partners, and the early market adjustments following the EU’s July 1st de minimis elimination. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Housekeeping: Announcement of the July 29th hiatus. 00:00:35 — The Houthi Red Sea Squeeze: Targeting Saudi-linked transits. 00:02:22 — Energy Pipeline Disruptions: The impact on Saudi oil diversions. 00:03:50 — Fuel Price Rebound vs. Rate Cooling: Why spot rates are leveling off. 00:04:56 — The July 15th GRI Failure: Confirming the end of peak demand bookings. 00:05:24 — North Asia Typhoon Congestion: Over 100 vessels queued at Shanghai. 00:06:27 — Section 122 Expiration: What comes after July 24th. 00:09:06 — EU De Minimis Fallout: Differential country rules and air cargo trends. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 We are hitting Episode #40, and the Strait of Hormuz has officially circled back to square one. The fragile June ceasefire has disintegrated into a high-stakes operational standoff. While the US asserts the waterway remains open via its southern channel, reality on the water tells a completely different story: drone attacks and naval skirmishes have effectively reduced commercial transits to a crawl. In this episode, Julia Frohwein and Judah Levine unpack the immediate logistics fallout. We dissect the sudden re-implementation of the US naval blockade alongside President Trump’s recent social media proposals regarding a 20% cargo fee and military guardianship of the channel. For regional container movements, this means an indefinite extension of land-bridge dependencies and alternative routing through the UAE, while global ocean carriers like Maersk and CMA CGM prepare for another Red Sea U-turn. We also evaluate a significant divergence in the global spot market. Crude and bunker fuel prices have rebounded roughly 10% this week, reversing their June declines. However, the overarching story remains demand-driven. The National Retail Federation (NRF) just projected that July will mark a historic, record-breaking monthly influx of 2.47 million TEU—surpassing even the pandemic-era peaks. Yet, with NRF data pointing toward sharp 10% month-on-month drops for both August and September arrivals, we analyze whether the early peak season has officially reached its ceiling, and how a severe weekend typhoon in North Asia could keep spot prices elevated despite cooling demand. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Back to the Beginning: The collapse of the June ceasefire. 00:01:15 — Social Media Policy: Deconstructing the proposed 20% cargo transit fee. 00:02:15 — The Red Sea U-Turn: Why ocean alliances are rolling back Suez transit plans. 00:03:30 — Fuel Rebound: Crude and bunker prices climb back to mid-June baselines. 00:04:45 — The 2.47 Million TEU Milestone: Breaking down July's historic arrival numbers. 00:06:00 — The Peak Season Ceiling: Analyzing the NRF’s 10% August volume drop forecast. 00:07:15 — The Supply-Side Constraint: How North Asian typhoons are preserving the rate floor. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 It’s July, and the Strait of Hormuz is locked in a dangerous pattern of starts, stops, and serious military escalations. Yet, the energy market is throwing a complete curveball: crude oil prices have unexpectedly plummeted back to pre-war baselines. Instead of the catastrophic energy shortages predicted months ago, the industry is suddenly bracing for a global oil oversupply. In this episode, Julia Frohwein and Judah Levine unpack this paradox. While crude supply has recovered due to strategic reserves and alternative land pipelines, refined transportation fuels like bunker and jet fuel remain stubbornly high and slow to clear. We also break down the state of play in the Ocean Container Market . We are officially in the thick of peak season, with Transpacific rates soaring to $6,700/FEU to the West Coast and $8,700/FEU to the East Coast. Carriers have injected record-breaking capacity to chase these margins, but a massive wall of congestion—triggered by severe weather, dense fog, and unprecedented demand—is gridlocking major Asian hubs like Shanghai, Ningbo, and Singapore. Finally, we track the immediate fallout of the July 1st EU De Minimis Abolition . The duty-free loophole is officially closed, and the air cargo market is already registering a sharp, immediate contraction in e-commerce charter capacity. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Escalation and the Surprising Rebound: The oil oversupply reality. 00:01:45 — The Refined Fuel Lag: Why bunker and jet fuel are lagging behind crude. 00:02:30 — Peak Season Reality Check: Breaking down the $8,700 East Coast milestone. 00:03:30 — Structural Front-Loading: De-linking the US tariff rush from Asia-Europe volumes. 00:04:45 — Far East Port Gridlock: How Shanghai fog and Singapore delays are locking up ships. 00:06:00 — Air Cargo Shockwave: The July 1st EU de minimis cliff cuts air capacity. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, joined as always by our resident freight expert, Judah Levine. 📍 It’s July 1st, and while it feels a bit like a broken record to talk about the Strait of Hormuz, the dynamics on the water have shifted completely. We are no longer looking at a standard blockade—we are witnessing a raw power struggle over who runs the waterway. In this episode, we break down why Iran is using the current memorandum of understanding to enforce permanent sovereignty over the passage. They are ordering all ships to detour exclusively through their northern coastal lane. Meanwhile, a high-stakes UN evacuation effort by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) along the southern coast of Oman has been abruptly paused after an Evergreen container vessel was targeted by gunfire. This has left carriers stranded back in "stop-and-start" limbo, relying heavily on land-bridge bypasses through the UAE. We also dive into the massive July 1st BAF Reset . Bunker fuel prices actually dropped in June, but contract shippers are getting hammered anyway. Because contract Bunker Adjustment Factors (BAFs) are adjusted quarterly based on retrospective carrier costs, the peak wartime energy bills from Q2 are officially hitting invoices today. Combined with factory price increases and the looming July 24th Section 122 tariff expiration, this triple threat has triggered an intense front-loading wave that has doubled Transpacific West Coast rates to over $6,000/FEU. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Broken Record: The July 1st landscape and the Hormuz reality. 00:01:00 — Sovereign Squeeze: Iran’s new northern transit lane rules. 00:01:45 — The Evergreen Incident: Why the IMO just paused its Oman evacuation channel. 00:02:45 — The Land-Bridge Default: Keeping UAE connections alive amid the chaos. 00:03:30 — The Q3 BAF Trigger: Contract holders pay for Q2's war bills today. 00:05:00 — Peak Front-Loading: Why the NRF says the peak hit in June. 00:06:45 — The July 24th Tariff Wall: Scrambling ahead of Section 122's exit. 00:07:30 — The July 1st GRI Wave: Will carriers make the new peak surcharges stick? This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, alongside our resident freight expert, Judah Levine. 📍 Let's get "Strait" to it. (Yes, it's a bad joke, but things are moving too fast to pass up a pun). Following the historic US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, the Strait of Hormuz is finally seeing a trickle of traffic. But behind the headlines, the reality is a logistical obstacle course. In this episode, we expose the secret military hotline opened between the US and Iran to coordinate transits. The traditional middle channel is still a total no-go due to mines, forcing the IMO and Oman to set up a rigid, emergency transit mechanism along the coastline. Tankers are getting the priority check, while container carriers are playing it safe—running strictly feeder vessels into the Gulf to avoid losing their mega-ships to another lockdown. We also break down why ocean spot rates have violently decoupled from reality. While crude prices and bunker fuel are tumbling (down 25% from March), container spot rates have exploded by a staggering $2,000 to $3,000 since the end of May . Shippers are caught in an absolute front-loading frenzy to beat the July contract BAF cliff, producer price hikes, and looming tariff changes. Transpacific rates have slammed into $6,000/FEU for the West Coast and $8,000/FEU for the East Coast. Finally, we track the massive regulatory tectonic shift landing in July. As the EU officially kills its de minimis exemption, a massive loophole has emerged: The UK is keeping its de minimis until 2029. We explore why the British market is bracing for a tidal wave of diverted, cheap Chinese e-commerce packages turning the UK into Europe’s ultimate trade backdoor. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Strait to It: The US-Iran hotline and the new status quo. 00:01:15 — The Coastline Reservation System: IMO and Oman take the wheel. 00:02:00 — Feeder Ship Pivot: Why ocean alliances are refusing to risk long-haul mega-ships. 00:03:00 — Fuel Deflation vs. Peak Inflation: Why dropping oil prices aren't saving your rates. 00:04:15 — The June Spot Monster: Breaking down the $8,000 East Coast reality. 00:05:30 — Overcapacity Masked: How front-loading broke the rules of supply and demand. 00:06:45 — The UK Loophole: Turning Britain into an e-commerce smuggler's paradise. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! 📍 This week, Julia Frohwein is riding that post-birthday glow alongside our resident freight expert, Judah Levine, to break down a massive, chaotic turn of events. Headlines are screaming about a historic US-Iran interim peace agreement, but before you celebrate the "full reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz by this weekend, you need to read the fine print. In this episode, we unpack why a signed memorandum of understanding won't magically fix your supply chain overnight. Between required 30-day implementations, a 60-day deadline for a final peace deal, and a waterway cluttered with suspected maritime mines, experts warn it will take weeks just to get transits back to half of normal capacity. We also tackle the June Rate Monster . Spot rates didn't just climb; they exploded with the mid-month June 15th GRI wave. Transpacific rates to the West Coast surged an insane 25% in days , approaching $6,000/container—meaning rates have climbed a vertical $2,700 just since the end of May. Finally, we hit the courtroom for the latest Section 122 plot twist . An appellate court just gave the government permission to keep collecting the 10% global tariff, leaving a massive question mark over whether importers will ever see those refunds. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Post-Birthday Glow & The Trump Peace Announcement. 00:01:00 — The 60-Day Clock: Breaking down the interim peace agreement text. 00:01:45 — Maritime Minefields: Why the narrow safe channels are causing a bottleneck. 00:02:45 — The Gulf Logistics Reset: Maersk’s routing shift and land-bridge strain. 00:03:30 — The Q3 BAF Hangover: Why big contract holders pay for the war next month anyway. 00:05:00 — June 15th Explosion: Shifting the peak as West Coast rates hit $6,000. 00:06:45 — Section 122 Court Twist: Appellate rulings and the vanishing refund dream. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Happy birthday to me! 🎂 I’m Julia Frohwein, celebrating my special day by powering through another intense session with our resident freight guru, Judah Levine. The headlines are full of escalating US-Iran and Iran-Israel naval fire, but the biggest shockwave this week isn't military—it's the massive early arrival of Ocean Peak Season . 📍 In this episode, we unpack why the National Retail Federation just ripped up their previous calendar, declaring that the 2026 volume peak is hitting right now in June , instead of July. Shippers are panicking and front-loading cargo to beat the July Section 122 tariff expiration and the heavy Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) contract hikes . The result? A massive $1,600 single-week surge that pushed Transpacific East Coast rates above $6,000/FEU and slammed Asia-Europe lines past last year's highest peaks. We also look at the shifting tides of Air Cargo. It’s been a year since the US clamped down on de minimis exemptions, and while e-commerce air imports dropped 11% year-on-year, the skies have been completely rescued by tech. We look at the staggering 70% year-on-year explosion in AI hardware and high-tech air imports that is redefining global aviation logistics. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Birthday Wishes & The Middle East Firefight. 00:01:30 — Peak Season Redrawn: Why the NRF is shifting the volume peak to June. 00:02:45 — The Triple Threat: Tariffs, July BAF cliffs, and Far East producer price hikes. 00:04:45 — Rate Spikes: Transpacific hits $6,000 while the Med breaches $5,500. 00:06:00 — European Port Congestion: Shippers fleeing the Golden Week crunch. 00:07:30 — The US De Minimis Post-Mortem: What the EU can expect from its flat-fee roll-out. 00:09:00 — The AI Boom: The 70% high-tech surge reshaping air freight. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, powering through being a bit "under the weather" this week alongside our resident freight expert Judah Levine to unpack a highly volatile session. 📍 The Persian Gulf conflict is intensifying, and while peace negotiations continue, ocean freight has officially hit the panic button on early Peak Season demand. In this episode, we break down the massive June 1st rate explosion. Spot rates didn't just tick up—they skyrocketed by $1,000 to $1,800 per container in a single week. Shippers are aggressively front-loading volumes ahead of the massive July BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) hikes , resulting in space shortages, capped allocations, and forced premium fees. Transpacific rates have surged to $4,800/FEU to the West Coast and $6,000/FEU to the East Coast, while Asia-Europe has completely surpassed last year's peak highs. We also look at a bombshell legal twist in the trade war: The White House has officially challenged the $166 Billion IEEPA tariff refund order . If your previous customs entries have already been "liquidated," the government is saying they won't pay you back unless you sue them directly. Finally, we look at the newly released USTR Section 301 report targeting forced labor inputs, proposing fresh 10% to 12.5% tariffs on a massive list of global trading partners including the EU, Canada, Mexico, India, and China to replace the expiring July stopgap. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Powering Through: Julia's British "under the weather" opener. 00:01:00 — June 1st Rate Explosion: The $1,800 week-on-week spot spike. 00:01:45 — Capped Allocations: Why contract shippers are crowding out the spot market. 00:02:15 — The BAF Front-Loading Strategy: Racing the July quarterly adjustment. 00:03:15 — The $166B Refund Fight: Unliquidated vs. Liquidated entries explained. 00:06:00 — Section 122 Ticking Clock: The global 10% tariff expires in July. 00:06:45 — The USTR Shell Over: The new Section 301 forced labor tariff list. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, joined by our resident freight guru Judah Levine to unpack another high-velocity week in global shipping. While rumors of a negotiated end to the war have ships in the Persian Gulf optimistically drifting toward the Strait of Hormuz, experts warn that infrastructure damage means a fuel price hangover could last well into next year. In this episode, we tackle the sudden, early arrival of Peak Season . Asia-North Europe rates have climbed back to their wartime high of $2,900/container, while Asia-Med rates exploded by 20% last week to $4,400 . Shippers are aggressively front-loading cargo for two massive reasons: lingering Red Sea diversions and a desperate race to beat the July BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) hikes . Over in the Transpacific, a surprise leak reveals that Amazon is moving Prime Day up to June . This single e-commerce curveball has triggered an early peak season avalanche, sending West Coast rates to $2,800/FEU and East Coast rates to $4,300/FEU, with carriers already salivating over $2,000 June GRIs. Finally, we look at the jet fuel crisis that didn't happen. Despite the IEA’s warning six weeks ago that Europe would run dry, a mix of alternative production and radical flight cuts has stabilized the skies. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Hormuz Optimism: The literal bottleneck traffic jam. 00:01:30 — The Refined Oil Hangover: Why fuel costs aren't dropping anytime soon. 00:02:15 — The July BAF Cliff: The contracted shipper's ticking clock. 00:03:00 — Med Rates Explode: A 20% spike signals early peak season. 00:04:15 — The Prime Day Factor: Amazon moves the needle to June. 00:05:45 — The Air Crisis That Wasn't: Defying the IEA's fuel starvation warning. 00:07:00 — AI Hardware & E-commerce: The new pillars of resilient air cargo demand. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, joined as always by our resident freight expert Judah Levine, ready to break down another high-stakes week in global logistics. 📍 The Strait of Hormuz remains tenser than ever, with a planned US retaliatory strike temporarily pushed off by President Trump while negotiations continue in the shadow of a crumbling ceasefire. In this episode, we tackle the massive structural shift impacting Peak Season 2026 . Because of ongoing Red Sea diversions, transit lead times are longer than ever. Shippers are realizing they have to move their peak season ocean cargo now —well ahead of China's Golden Week in October—or risk their goods arriving too late for winter shelves. We look at the June GRI attempts targeting an extra $2,000 per container. Over on the air freight side, the panicky global rate spike has stabilized, but a reverse flow is catching shippers off guard: Middle East air lanes are seeing a massive demand comeback, sending rates from Southeast Asia to the Middle East climbing to a new high of $4.75/kg . Finally, we track the countdown to Europe's new low-value e-commerce import fees coming this July and what the legacy of the US de minimis clampdown tells us about what's next. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Hormuz Standbox: Pushed-off attacks and the baseline reality. 00:01:30 — The Golden Week Countdown: Why peak season is starting early for Asia-Europe. 00:03:00 — Transpacific Check-In: $1,000 premiums and June GRI expectations. 00:05:00 — Air Freight Stabilization: Plateauing global indexes vs. high fuel baselines. 00:06:15 — The Middle East Squeeze: Why regional air cargo rates are skyrocketing. 00:06:45 — The July Tariff Clock: Europe's €2 e-commerce fee and the de minimis blueprint. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, but it officially has a new "manager." 📍 This week, Julia Frohwein and Judah Levine dive into Iran’s creation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority —a move that signals a permanent intent to entrench authority over the passageway. While Operation Freedom managed to extract a few US-flagged vessels, the naval exchanges between the US and Iran have only added to the uncertainty. In this episode, we break down Maersk’s $500M fuel bill . Carriers are facing massive cost pressures, and while the Transpacific is holding onto its rate gains, the Asia-Europe lanes are struggling to stay above pre-war levels during this "low demand" period. We also look at the NRF’s muted peak season forecast , projecting a July peak that is 8% lower than last year. Finally, we tackle the latest trade war bombshell: The US Court of International Trade has invalidated Section 122 tariffs. Just as the IEEPA refunds are getting underway, a new door for tariff refunds has swung wide open. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Operation Freedom & The New Persian Gulf Strait Authority. 00:01:30 — Maersk’s Earnings: The $500 Million monthly fuel surcharge reality. 00:02:45 — Ocean Rate Divergence: Transpacific gains vs. Asia-Europe stagnation. 00:03:45 — Muted Peak: Why the July "bump" might be a disappointment. 00:05:30 — Trade War Wrinkle: Section 122 invalidated and the refund precedent. 00:08:00 — Subscribe: Join the Container Bytes community. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome back to Container Bytes! I’m Julia Frohwein, and I’m back with Judah Levine to break down a week that felt like a decade. We’re diving into the rapid-fire timeline of Project Freedom —the US-led effort to force transit through the Strait of Hormuz that resulted in naval skirmishes and was suspended almost as quickly as it began. In this episode, we analyze why ocean rates are proving remarkably "sticky" despite the low-demand slow season. While Asia-Europe rates are hovering near pre-war levels, the Transpacific has seen a 50% gain since the conflict started, holding onto a $1,000/container increase even without the Lunar New Year rush. We also cover the "May 2nd Tease": the UAE fully reopened its airspace for exactly 24 hours before renewed attacks forced a shutdown until May 11th . We explore what this "start-stop" volatility means for Emirates, Etihad, and global air cargo benchmarks that remain 25% above pre-war levels. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Project Freedom: The 48-hour naval escalation. 00:01:45 — The Oil Flow Problem: Why "escorts" aren't restoring the energy market. 00:02:30 — Sticky Rates: Why the Transpacific is holding a 50% gain in a slow season. 00:04:15 — Manufacturing Warning: Why slowing orders in Vietnam are the new "canary in the coal mine." 00:06:00 — Airspace Whiplash: The UAE’s 24-hour opening and the May 11th closure. 00:07:30 — Air Index Update: Why Middle East lanes are still hitting peak pricing ($3.90/kg). This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Welcome to a very special episode of Container Bites! If you’re wondering why Eytan suddenly has long brown hair and a British accent—don’t panic. 📍 I’m Julia Frohwein, and I’m thrilled to be taking over the mic. This week, Judah and I dive into the "Quiet Crisis." The ceasefire is holding, but with the Strait of Hormuz still closed and the US blockade in place, oil prices are creeping back up. We break down why Asia-Europe ocean rates are hitting a stubborn floor—50% higher than October levels—despite the seasonal lull. We also look at the high-stakes game in the skies: Lufthansa and KLM are scrapping thousands of flights to conserve fuel, and the EU is already drawing up a "Mandatory Jet Fuel Sharing Plan" to prevent a regional blackout. Plus, we discuss why Maersk is struggling to guarantee export services out of the Gulf and how Gemini is doubling down on Jeddah as the ultimate land-bridge fallback. Chapters: 00:00:00 — Meet the New Voice: Julia takes the helm. 00:01:00 — The Gulf Strain: Maersk’s export warning and the Jeddah pivot. 00:02:30 — Ocean Rate Split: Why the Transpacific is winning the rate hike war. 00:04:15 — Peak Season Anxiety: Will high energy costs kill consumer demand? 00:06:00 — The Air Cargo "Club": Lufthansa, KLM, and the 20,000-flight cull. 00:07:00 — Europe’s Fuel Stash: The EU’s emergency sharing proposal. 00:08:30 — Air Index Update: Why Southeast Asia to Europe is still climbing. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .

Get your freight emergency kits ready, because the fuel market is bordering on absolute chaos. Between the IRGC boarding container ships in the Strait of Hormuz and Lufthansa slashing 20,000 flights due to fuel concerns, capacity is getting squeezed from both ends. While jet fuel prices have dipped slightly from their March peak, the real ghost in the machine is availability . Europe might only have six weeks of jet fuel left in the tank, making "seasonal trends" look about as relevant as a VCR manual in 2026. But it’s not all doom and gloom—unless you hate money. US importers are finally seeing the "CAPE" portal open for IEEPA tariff refunds. It might take 90 days to see the cash, but in a market where Transpacific rates are $800 higher than pre-war levels during what should be the "quiet" season, every cent of cash flow helps. This podcast is a little experiment from Freightos—and may not be around forever—so if you dig quick bites of freight wisdom, let us know. For more detailed weekly freight updates delivered straight to your inbox, check out our weekly freight email . Want the freshest freight data on demand? Hit up terminal.freightos.com .