Global Trade

A new ASCM report outlines how AI, automation, geopolitics, workforce evolution, and circularity will reshape supply chains in 2026 and what leaders must do to prepare.

With one year ending and a new one soon beginning, there is often a sense of a change or a fresh start coming. While that may sound good on paper, when it comes to the current state of the freight, or logistics, economy, it is more than likely that that prospects of meaningful shifts, or changes, in the current landscape, may not represent anything more than wishful thinking.

November imports, at 2.63 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), decreased 3.2% annually, falling for the third consecutive month, and were down sequentially compared to October’s 2.71 million TEU.

A handpicked roundup of the top 10 logistics and supply chain stories from 2025, highlighting the most significant trends and themes identified by LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman—this curated list goes beyond simple popularity metrics, offering deeper insights into the key developments shaping the industry.

The state of the North American intermodal market could be described as somewhat bifurcated, based on a presentation at last week’s RailTrends conference in New York by noted intermodal expert Larry Gross, president of Gross Transportation Consulting.

Taking steps to further expand its United States-Mexico border operations and presence, Eden Prairie, Minn.-based global third-party logistics (3PL) services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson said this week it has added more than 450,000 square-feet of warehousing and cross-border docking space in El Paso, Texas, which it said brings the company’s U.S.-Mexico logistics footprint to more than 2 million square-feet.

For September, the most recent month for which data is available, U.S. imports, for the ports surveyed in the report, came in at 2.1 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), which marked a 9.3% sequential decline and a 7.4% annual decline.  

With expedited review underway, businesses brace for possible refunds, new trade measures, and prolonged market volatility.

DHL Global Forwarding, a subsidiary of global logistics and express delivery provider Deutsche Post DHL focused on air and ocean freight, announced it has rolled out a new consolidated clearance service, which it said is geared towards U.S. imports to support retailers as they deal with trade shifts and tariff complexity.

Any signs of progress being made on the trade front between the United States and its second-largest trade partner, Canada, appear to be squelched, based on a social media post issued by President Trump last night.

The firm reported that September imports, at 2.72 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), fell 5.8% annually, down from August’s 2.9 million TEU July’s 3.01 million TEU (which topped the 3 million TEU mark for the first time and came on the heels of a June decline, coupled with importers looking to optimize sourcing following the White House’s reciprocal tariffs related to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on most U.S. trading partners, which went into effect on August 7).

The latest DHL Global Connectedness Tracker shows trade expanding faster in early 2025 than in any half-year since 2010.

At ASCM’s CHAINge Conference, leaders from government, retail, shipping, and manufacturing underscored that resilience depends on elevating supply chains into the boardroom and building trust across sectors.

The Association for Supply Chain Management has released its Top 10 Trends for 2026, highlighting how artificial intelligence, workforce evolution, trade dynamics, resilience, and sustainability will reshape global supply chains.

Top-level executives at Plantation, Fla.-based global express delivery and logistics services provider DHL shared their thoughts and expectations about the 2025 Peak Season this week, on a company-hosted call.