Topic: Ocean Freight

While some previous implementation dates for the White House’s reciprocal tariffs placed on goods imported into the United States had seen those dates pushed back, or paused, that was not the case this time around.

The overall outlook remains fluid, in terms of the pace and also significance of trade deals being made up to the August 1 deadline. John Lash, group VP of product strategy for connected supply chain platform services provider e2open, provided LM with his analysis of what shippers may be in store for when the new tariffs formally take effect.

Quarterly consolidated revenue, at $21.2 billion, fell 2.7% annually, and basic earnings per share, at $1.55 (short of Wall Street estimates of $1.57), fell $0.24, or 13.4%, annually. Total operating profit, at $1.8 billion, decreased 6.3% annually. 

With only a few days left until the end of the reciprocal tariff pause between the United States and its trading partners, the framework of a large trade deal was brokered yesterday between the U.S. and the 27-nation bloc comprising the European Union, which collectively represents the largest trading partner for the U.S.

The firm reported that June imports, at 2.65 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), declined 0.8% in June, with the second quarter, at 8.02 million TEU, up 1.4% annually, following a 9.1% first quarter gain. Through the first six months of 2025, total imports came in at 16.16 million TEU, for a 4.6% annual gain.

June retail sales, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading day differences but not price changes, came in at $720.1 billion, up 0.6% over May’s $715.5 billion and up 3.9% annually. And total retail sales, from April through June, posted a 4.1% annual gain compared to the same period a year ago.

POLA reported that total June volume, at 892,340 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), posted an 8% annual gain, marking the highest-volume June in the port’s 117 years of operation. June Port of Long Beach volume, at 704,703 TEU, fell 16.4% annually.

the weekend he said that matching 30% tariffs will be placed on the imports from the European Union and Mexico to the U.S. on the same date—separate from sectoral tariffs.

As the White House continues to send out letters to United States trading partners, regarding reciprocal tariffs that will be implemented in U.S.-bound imports, set to take effect on August 1—which was pushed back earlier this week from a previous July 9 deadline—there remains a general sense of supply chain and logistics uncertainty, for industry stakeholders, in terms of next steps.

North American trade tensions between the United States and Canada remain high with President Donald Trump stating on a social media post this week that he sent Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney a letter stating that effective August 1, the U.S. will charge Canada a 35% tariff on products imported into the U.S. from Canada, separate from tariffs on specific sectors.

LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Tim Hotze, Senior Vice President Operations Planning, Network Steering and Optimization, for Target, at the SMC3 Connections conference in Salt Lake City last month. Hotze provided a detailed overview of key facets of Target's supply chain and logistics operations, including: sourcing, tariffs, AI, and Peak Season, among other topics.

For May, the most recent month for which data is available, United States imports came in at 1.95 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), marking an 11.8% sequential decline and a 6.4% annual increase, with the latter marking the first annual decline going back to September 2023 and the lowest tally in any month since May 2024’s 1.93 million TEU.

In this podcast, Logistics Management Group News Editor Jeff Berman interviews John McCown, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Maritime Strategy, the Navy League’s think tank.

June U.S.-bound container import volume—at 2,217,675 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units)—was up 1.8% compared to May and down 3.5% annually, following a 9.7% sequential decline from April to May and a 7.2% annual May decline.

While there have not been material changes in United States trade policy going back to the three-month pause of the White House’s reciprocal tariffs implemented on April 9, it stands to reason that will be soon coming to an end, with the pause set to expire on July 9. But it may not be the end that was initially expected, with various reports indicating the pause has been moved back to August 1.

President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with Vietnam this week, slashing the threatened 46% tariff on Vietnamese imports to 20% and granting duty-free entry for U.S. goods. The deal comes as Washington intensifies efforts to redraw global supply chains and reduce America’s reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

The June Services PMI, at 50.8 (a reading of 50 or higher signals growth), increased 0.9% over May’s 49.9 reading.

The report’s benchmark reading, the PMI, came in at 49.0 (a reading of 50 or higher indicates growth), up 0.5% from May’s 48.5 reading, which was off 0.2% from April’s 48.7 reading.

The 36th Annual State of Logistics (SoL) Report highlights a logistics market tested by economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Despite ongoing disruptions, including rising tariffs and environmental challenges, the report showcases strategies that logistics professionals are using to adapt and maintain resilience. With e-commerce growth driving demand for faster deliveries and more efficient operations, the report offers a snapshot of the industry's current state and forecasts for 2025.

While it is likely true that not many people thought the soon-to-be-ending three-month pause on the White House’s “Liberation Day, ” or reciprocal, tariffs would be a low-key affair, with just more than a week to go to the July 8 deadline, the global supply chain, once again, is preparing—and very likely about to deal with more—for a hefty amount of uncertainty, coupled with what could be viewed as a continued lack of clarity, relating to next step in...