An early start to pre-Lunar New Year demand is putting pressure on ex-Asia container rates to start the year, with prices already starting from a Red Sea diversion-elevated floor. N. American shippers continue to frontload ahead of expected tariff hikes in 2025 and are bracing for another possible port worker strike in mid-January. And in air cargo, surging e-commerce volumes mean strong demand and elevated rates persist into the new year, though challenges to the de minimis exemption helping to drive this trend continue to build too.
In this month’s webinar, Judah Levine, Freightos’ Head of Research, presented the latest trends in the international ocean and air freight markets, and was joined by Adam Lewis, President at Clearit customs brokers, who shared insights on how changes to tariffs and trade policies may impact 2025.
