The Logistics and Supply Chain News that Shaped 2025

Continuing a long-standing annual tradition, LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman reviewed the extensive range of logistics and supply chain articles produced by the Logistics Management editorial team throughout the year. From this comprehensive review, he compiled the top news stories that best capture the year’s defining movements and issues.

Rather than relying on page view data to create a “most popular” list, Berman focused on stories that collectively illustrate the most impactful industry trends of 2025. And he notes, “As always, this could easily have been a ‘Top 25’ rather than a Top 10.”

1. President Trump signs Executive Order imposing reciprocal tariffs to address U.S. trade deficits

In April, President Trump signed an Executive Order, entitled “Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits,” in which the United States will institute reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world.

2. New six-year contract signed for East and Gulf Coast ports, ensuring wage increases and automation protections

Labor peace for the 36 United States-based East and Gulf Coast ports, stretching from Maine to Texas, has been reached, with a new six-year contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), an alliance of container carriers, direct employers, and port associations serving United States-based East and Gulf Coasts, being officially signed in mid-March, with the contract retroactively effective from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2030.

3. UPS and USPS SurePost relationship comes to an end, as NSA expires

On January 1, the SurePost relationship between Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS and the United States Postal Service (USPS) officially came to an end, upon the expiration of the companies negotiated service agreement (NSA).

4. Shippers, carriers planning for ‘modernization’ to NMFC that will impact LTL pricing, efficiency

Shippers and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are preparing for major changes in ratings of their freight shipments beginning in March that can be summarized in three letters—KYC—or Know Your Classification.

5. Trump’s return to the White House seals U.S. exit from Paris Agreement amid business and environmental debate

Lost in the shuffle of the myriad executive orders issued by President Trump soon after his return to the White House was one stating that the United States, again, has exited the Paris Agreement.

6. FedEx and Amazon take steps to resume partnership, with a focus on residential large package delivery

Global e-commerce retailer Amazon and freight transportation and logistics services provider FedEx are resuming their business relationship after a years-long hiatus.

7. Historic merger forms first U.S. transcontinental railroad as Union Pacific takes steps to acquire Norfolk Southern

Following a heavy amount of speculation that Omaha-based Union Pacific (UP) was taking steps to acquire Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern (NS), in first Class I railroad merger since the April 2023 deal, in which Canadian Pacific acquired Kansas City Southern for $31 billion, that was subsequently respectively confirmed by the companies, UP and NS announced in July they have come to terms on an agreement for a deal.

8. English-only proficiency now a clearer requirement for employment in trucking industry

President Donald Trump’s order saying truckers who don’t read and speak English proficiently would be considered unfit for service is causing ripples of concern within the industry.

9. Supply chain experts forecast stabilization amid rising costs and global uncertainty

A panel of industry experts across different areas of the supply chain provided a detailed overview of market trends and themes this in session at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE annual conference, which was held in National Harbor, Maryland in October.

10. Trump and Xi reach preliminary trade understandings as tariff and export disputes ease

The United States and China appear to have found at least some common ground on a few different issues, during an October meeting between President Donald Trump and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, at the APEC meeting in South Korea.