When you’re managing imports, cash flow is everything. Between freight, duty, insurance, and supplier payments, it’s easy for capital to get trapped at the border. That’s why the GST Deferral Scheme  is such a powerful tool for Australian importers - it keeps your cash working for you, not sitting with Customs. What Is GST Deferral? Normally, when your goods arrive in Australia, you’re required to pay 10% GST  on the customs value of those goods before they’re released. That

It’s not every day that a national shipping line becomes the centrepiece of a geopolitical tug-of-war, but that’s exactly what’s unfolding in Israel. German carrier Hapag-Lloyd  is reportedly circling ZIM Integrated Shipping Services , sparking uproar from ZIM’s workforce and sending ripples through the global container trade. Image Source: ZIM A Deal That’s Causing Waves Hapag-Lloyd - one of the world’s top five ocean carriers - is believed to be weighing a takeover of ZIM,

The European Union has officially moved to abolish its long-standing duty-free threshold for low-value parcel imports - a decision that will reshape global e-commerce flows, customs processes, and logistics operations over the next 2–3 years. What’s changing? The current €150 duty-free exemption  for small parcels entering the EU will be removed. The shift is tied to the EU’s new centralised customs data hub, expected to be fully operational by 2028 . A transitional mechanism

In a surprising de-escalation of maritime trade tensions, China and the United States have agreed to suspend their reciprocal port-fee regime for one year - a move that offers a sigh of relief for global shipping lines and importers but also signals a high-stakes pause rather than a resolution of underlying supply-chain conflict. What’s going on? The U.S. had imposed new fees under its Section 301 investigation targeting China’s maritime, logistics, and ship-building sectors,

The U.S. logistics network just hit another snag - this time from the sky. The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a 10% reduction in flights across 40 major U.S. airports  as the government shutdown drags on, forcing airlines and cargo operators to cut capacity during peak season. For anyone moving goods in or out of the States, this is more than a headline - it’s a potential chain reaction through global supply lines. What’s Going On Air-traffic control staffing sho

When the horns sounded across container yards, many thought the fight was over. But in early November 2025, a battle line has been drawn - one that could ripple through freight chains, ports, and terminals across the world, even as far as Oceania. The event The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) of the U.S., led by President Harold J. Daggett, has called for the creation of a global anti-automation alliance  of maritime workers. The movement began at the “People O

After weeks of suspense, the second-half November rate announcements have finally dropped - later than expected and following a period of intense psychological swings  among carriers. The final outcome? A mix of bold ambition, strategic retreat, and subtle recalibration across the China–Australia trade. A Market That Overheated... Then Hesitated The first half of November roared to life just as predicted. South China and North China were on fire - space shortages, rollovers,

A new investigation from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has laid out a chain of communication and procedural failures that led to the collision between the 333-metre container ship Maersk Shekou  and the sail-training vessel STS Leeuwin II  in Fremantle Harbour. Key findings include: A primary harbour pilot failed to issue a critical turn instruction as the container ship entered the harbour under storm-force conditions, despite support from four tugboats. A se

The global trade landscape is once again shifting under our feet. While the US and China have reached a tentative trade agreement that offers a brief sense of stability, US forwarders are now facing a new headache - potential tariffs on Canada. The result? Another round of uncertainty is rippling through supply chains already stretched by congestion, rerouting, and capacity strain. The New Tariff Tangle US forwarders are voicing strong concern over the threat of a 10% tariff

The jigsaw of global container flows has entered a new phase. Ports are no longer just a link in the chain - they’ve become the bottlenecks, the pressure points, and the pulse check for global trade sentiment. According to Linerlytica’s latest data, congestion is creeping back across major gateways, and the tone of the market is shifting from confidence to cautious concern. Image: Linerlytica 1. Port Congestion Is Back in Full Force Global congestion remains stubbornly high,

Queensland’s premium beef industry is making serious waves in Indonesia - and not just on the trade floor. In a week that blended diplomacy, logistics, and good old Aussie grit, Queensland’s export ambitions were showcased in Jakarta as part of a broader state trade mission. Beefed Up Demand Queensland’s agricultural exports to Indonesia are surging, now topping more than AUD 700 million annually, with beef and live cattle leading the charge. Chilled beef exports alone have h

The situation Across Asia’s key export ports, there’s a new problem bubbling under the surface... vessel bunching . It ’s e xactly what it sounds like: too many ships arriving too close together, and not enough time or space to handle them efficiently. When carriers push multiple sailings in the same week, everything downstream feels the squeeze. Ports get clogged. Terminals overflow. Truckers queue for hours. And just when you think your container’s about to move, it’s parke

A handshake, a headline… and a hell of a lot to unpack Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have finally sat down face to face - and the result? A one-year trade truce  that’s already sending shockwaves through global supply chains. For the first time in years, tariffs between the world’s two largest economies are coming down  instead of up. The US has agreed to reduce average duties on Chinese imports by around ten percentage points, while China has promised to restart major agricult

Washington and Beijing have hit pause on the tariff tug-of-war, sketching out a framework deal ahead of Trump and Xi’s meeting this week in South Korea. After months of escalation threats and political theatre, both sides have finally stepped back from the ledge - not out of love, but out of strategic self-preservation. According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the deal-in-principle includes three major concessions: A deferral of China’s rare earth export controls A “

If you were hoping schedule reliability would keep steadily climbing post-pandemic, the latest data just tapped the brakes. Global on-time vessel arrivals rose only 0.1 percentage points month-on-month to 65.2%, confirming what many of us suspected: reliability has officially plateaued  in the mid-60s. Yes, it’s the second-highest figure recorded since 2019 - but it also shows the industry has hit a ceiling (for now). The easy gains are gone. What does 65% actually mean? Only

The China–Australia trade lane has officially caught fire. What was meant to be a “strong but manageable” second half of October has turned into full-scale peak season mania - the kind we actually  feel in the market, not just read on a slide deck. Here’s how the market is shaking out by tier: SERVICE TIER TYPICAL RATE LEVEL (Nov 1–14) WHAT YOU’RE REALLY BUYING BUDGET USD 1,600 - 1700 per TEU Cheapest TEU cost, slower TLC: longer transits, higher roll risk, ad-hoc extra loade

Swiss freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel (SIX: KNIN) reported a difficult third quarter for 2025, posting a significant decline in profitability and issuing a cautious outlook for the year ahead. The company said recurring EBIT fell to CHF 285 million in Q3 (down 37 % year-on-year), with net turnover slipping 7 % to around CHF 6 billion and gross profit down 4 % to CHF 2.1 billion. Image: Kuehne + Nagel The key driver of the downturn is persistent yield pressure in the Sea Logi

A new Sea-Intelligence analysis confirms that even if the Red Sea corridor reopens in full, the global container network will not snap back to normal overnight. Months of diversion via the Cape of Good Hope have structurally distorted sailing schedules, vessel rotations, and capacity placement - and those effects will take time to unwind. Key Findings 1. Network disruption is already deeply embedded The crisis didn’t just delay transits - it rewired service patterns. Vessel

As we head into November, carriers are lining up another round of General Rate Increases (GRIs) on Asia–Australia routes, and this round is more than a routine adjustment. The China–Australia market has officially tipped into peak-season territory - and not the gentle, seasonal kind. What began as a strong late-October rally has now escalated sharply, with carriers pushing freight rates to levels not seen since early 2024. GRIs announced for early November are not simply oppo

China–Australia: Peak Season Has Officially Arrived The market has snapped into full peak-season mode — and not politely. Space has become the new gold, and carriers are flexing hard off the back of oversubscribed sailings and a rush to get cargo out before the US tariff window. What’s happening right now Carriers pushed through full GRIs for 1–14 November. Budget services are now sitting at USD1700.00 per TEU. Premium carriers leading at USD1950.00 per TEU. Extra loaders dep

The Incheon Port Authority is quietly rewriting the trade-map. As sourcing strategies drift away from China, Incheon is pivoting hard - launching its first direct container link to India and expanding greenfield ambitions in Indonesia. The implication for shippers: the “China + 1” catch-phrase just got real. Exporters grabbing space in India/Indonesia now may see more capacity and less congestion; those relying exclusively on China-first routing may find themselves in hot com

Peak season is officially “on paper” - but the mood across the air cargo sector is more watchful waiting  than full-throttle demand. Forwarders are gearing up to release their earnings, and the numbers will say far more about the real  state of the market than any glossy forecast. Behind the curtain, the big players, DSV, K+N, DHL, the usual suspects, are signalling a softer surge this year. Demand is patchy, capacity is lumpy, and premium uplift isn’t behaving like a tradi

Your unfair advantage in a volatile supply chain In today’s market, reacting late is expensive. Capacity shifts, policy moves, rate changes and carrier behaviour now impact cost and delivery windows weeks before  they’re visible in mainstream updates. The Cargo Confidential Logistics Report is built to give you the early intelligence  needed to negotiate smarter, plan ahead and protect margin... before disruption hits your warehouse, budget or customers. Subscribers receive f

Overview The United States has further escalated its tariff regime in 2025, using a mix of national-security (Section 232) and emergency-powers (International Emergency Economic Powers Act — IEEPA) tools. Major commodities (steel, aluminium, copper, autos, furniture/wood) and key trade partners (China, India, Brazil, Canada/Mexico, EU) are all in play. Many decisions already in effect; others announced with looming commencement dates. Key for supply-chain operators: these cha