Topic: Global Trade

As of August 7, the U.S. has put new tariffs in place on goods from dozens of countries. The updated rates vary widely, with some close trade partners seeing 10 percent tariffs and others facing rates above 40 percent.

A common refrain among industry stakeholders has been that they know tariffs are coming, or have already arrived, but they badly want, and need, some clarity and stability on tariff rates in order to effectively take action, as it relates to a whole host of things, including: operations; sourcing and procurement; inventory management; capital expenditures; and hiring and staffing, among many others.

Following a late July development, in which the framework of a large trade deal between the United States and the 27-nation bloc comprising the European Union, which collectively represents the largest trading partner for the U.S., was finalized, various reports published earlier this week stated that the EU is pausing is planned tariffs on U.S. goods, originally set for August 7, for six months, providing more time for both sides to come to terms on a broader agreement.

In the face of ongoing tariff uncertainty, 18 C-suite executives share their strategies for navigating the evolving landscape. Many companies are absorbing tariff costs, passing them onto customers, or sourcing domestically to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

With tariffs shaping global trade, U.S. importers must adapt to an increasingly complex environment. This comprehensive guide explores current tariff mechanisms, including Section 301, Section 232, and IEEPA, highlighting the impact on businesses. As legal challenges and negotiations unfold, importers must proactively manage their tariff exposure, monitor regulatory developments, and optimize inventory strategies. Key tactics like accurate HTS classification, tariff forecasting, and using U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs) can help mitigate risks and maintain cost competitiveness in 2025’s unpredictable market.

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.

Following an executive order issued in May, which ended the de minimis exemption—allowing shipments under $800 sent from China and Hong Kong to the U.S. to not be subject to tariffs, the White House this week issued a new executive order suspended the de minimis exemption for various imported goods.

The Federal Reserve said yesterday that it has decided to maintain the target rate for its federal funds rate, which comes from the Federal Reserve Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) at 4.25%-to-4.5%.

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.

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.