Impact your business with timely information on global freight trends that could affect capacity availability, pricing, and more. Create and download custom reports by adding your preferred ocean and air trade lanes—then, check back monthly for updates.
To deliver our market insights to our global audiences in the timeliest manner possible, we rely on machine translations to translate these insights from English.
Updated on March 16, 2023
The following information is built on market data from public sources and C.H. Robinson’s information advantage—based on our experience, data, and scale. Use these insights to stay informed, assist with decision making to potentially mitigate risk, and hopefully help avoid disruptions to your supply chain.
Customize and download this report
Streamline, save, and strategize across every border with these action-oriented tactics that maximize efficiencies and performance.
Few companies can fill a container with their own freight. Work with a freight consolidator to get better rates and increase cargo security.
Understanding the risks and purchasing the right type of insurance can help protect the value of the goods you ship globally.
Achieve continuous improvements in real time by using a provider that has a single system TMS architecture that works across all regions and covers all types of transportation.
Develop a plan to spend more on shipping but less on inventory, storage, returns and other costs by shipping smaller quantities more frequently.
Identify and understand the risk types, probabilities, and potential costs to buy the appropriate amount of ocean cargo insurance.
Integrate to a single transportation provider’s TMS to connect with suppliers and carriers globally, without having to integrate each one of them separately to your system.
These rules define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers for the delivery under sales contract, and they establish where the transfer of risk takes place. Understanding how to use them can help you save money.
A customs expert can help you navigate each country’s compliance requirements with their own specific set of customs rules, governmental regulations, VAT, duty rate calculations, and payment plans.
Leverage your transportation provider’s business intelligence reporting and analytics to improve your supply chain performance.
Manage shipment windows, work with overseas vendors to coordinate bookings, manage exceptions, collect and distribute documents, and provide reporting at the shipment PO/line item.
Work with C.H. Robinson to learn more about how you can increase savings in your global supply chain.
Thank you for signing up for the global forwarding freight updates from C.H. Robinson. Read our global privacy notice.
After a slow uptick in demand after the Chinese New Year, increasing demand is anticipated in March, which marks the end of the first quarter. Demand has increased as manufacturing resumes.
There is sufficient capacity to support the soft demand and rates continue to remain competitive in the market. Passenger travel restrictions in China have been largely scrapped and passenger demand should gradually increase in the coming months, leading to new passenger flights and capacity.
United States export capacity is generally open and rates continue their downward trend. Expect additional capacity entering the market in the coming months to support increased travel demand.
Watch our 30-min webinar to hear from leading supply chain experts about strategies for success in today's freight market.
Ocean freight demand on most trade lanes continues to decline or remain flat, with shipping rates following the same pattern.
Source: Linerlytica
Steamship lines continue to void sailings to balance the supply. They are also starting to slow steam or take longer routes via the Cape of Good Hope on the backhaul legs of major east-west services. This will impact transit-sensitive commodities.
Congestion is almost totally gone and space options and rate levels have dropped in favor of shippers. However, the need for some flexibility remains as blank sailings and service adjustments continue to impact lead times.
Source: © Sea—Intelligence
The Asia-Europe trade utilization is stable to down. However, it is not substantial enough to maintain rates. Meanwhile, carriers are wary of the imminent introduction of new ultra large container ships (ULCS) into the Asia-Europe trade in the coming months.
Capacity utilization on the trans-Pacific trade lane remains below 85% on most services to all U.S. and Canada coasts. Rates continue to slowly decline to levels that are mostly unsustainable for steamship lines. The Asia-Latin America (LATAM) trade lane demand is stable to down.
Steamship lines continue to slow steam, mostly on the backhaul route, saving on fuel and absorbing capacity.
While the energy crisis did not impact the winter demand as drastically as forecasted, overcapacity continues to impact this region. Steamship lines have implemented service changes to optimize their coverage, differentiate services, and fill up ships with the right ports of call.
Imports remain soft year-over-year (Y/Y) due to inflation and normalizing demand from the largest importers, including retail, furniture, electronics, and home improvement. These industries represent over 50% of U.S. imports.
Still, the Y/Y comparisons will continue to show a dramatic drop since demand remained very high in the first half of 2022. For reference, based on arrival into the United States, February 2023 volumes were 0.3% lower than pre-pandemic levels in February 2019.
U.S. congestion has improved overall, with only a little bottleneck at some inland rail lines. As long as demand remains soft and port negotiations do not trigger major stoppages, congestion should stay at bay.
Source: Linerlytica
The trans-Tasman market continues to be fluid with space and services opening gradually. The shuttle service out of Sydney and Brisbane has added tonnage to the lane, while the Focus Container Line to the trans-Tasman service introduction has increased options.
The market continues to soften and rates will continue to slowly decline as carriers compete for market share. Space continues to be tight on the U.S. East Coast (USEC) but easing on the U.S. West Coast (USWC).
The traditional peak season on the U.S.-Oceania trade lane is expected to wind down after the end of February, easing space issues. Port calls to New Zealand for exports from the USWC continue on a two-week basis, and transshipment service options are increasing.
The Europe export market remains stable, with space and equipment readily available for dry cargo. Rates are still gradually being reduced by all carriers as supply still outweighs demand.
Northeast Asia to Oceania continues to be in flux. Carriers are attempting to increase rates, but demand is not at a level to sustain increases.
The post-Chinese New Year will likely be the next indicator as to whether carriers attempt more increases or resort to blank sailing programs.
Southeast Asia is in steady decline as demand weakens. Carriers are now looking at amending services, such as rationalizing port calls, to limit space and increase demand.
There are currently no reports of congestion in Singapore and Malaysia. Feedback from the lines report operations are normal and without major delays.
Overall demand out of these regions remains soft.
Demand is fairly steady in India and Bangladesh, although much lower than last year. Pakistan demand is down severely.
Steamship lines are implementing service changes in this area of the world. Steamship lines are trying to optimize ship utilization and offer creative routes to attract cargo.
The main vessel operators on the India subcontinent to North America tried to push a general rate increase (GRI) for the beginning of March, yet the lower demand isn’t likely to allow for such an increase to hold.
Inland service highlights
Port Everglades Terminal
Georgia
Charleston
NY/NJ
Chicago
Memphis/Nashville
Indianapolis
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Cleveland
Columbus
Port of Los Angeles/ Long Beach
Northern California
Houston
The domestic transportation market is gradually recovering, but the demand for cargo transportation is decreasing compared to the same period last year. Currently, fuel oil rates remain at a stable level, but the domestic freight market is experiencing a fierce price war due to unbalanced demand.
Customs clearance times between Shenzhen and China are speeding up for both imports and exports. Transit time in the Pingxiang port from China to Southeast Asia has extended to two to three days with the recovery of the cross-border transportation market.
Australia port logistics and landside container transport services are currently operating at levels within capacity, and there are no reports of service issues at any of the major ports nationally.
Two major container terminal operators have now completed their annual review of terminal ancillary charges. The terminals have continued investments in equipment upgrades to ensure service levels meet expectations.
The refrigerated logistics sector has seen one of Australia’s largest cold chain refrigeration companies, Scott’s Refrigerated Logistics, placed into receivership (a form of debt restructuring), having the potential to place additional pressure within the cold chain logistics market.
Stay up to date on the latest news, insights, perspectives, and resources from our customs and trade policy experts. Proactively prepare for any emerging customs and trade developments by staying informed—subscribe to Trade & Tariff Insights today.
Receive notices on changing regulations when they happen.
Customize and download this report
Use these insights to forecast how capacity changes and trends impact your business. Create customized, shareable reports by adding your preferred trade lanes. Check back each month for the latest updates in the lanes you care about. Updated ocean and air freight market insights will be available the third Thursday of each month.
Trade lane {origin} to {destination} is not available.
Trade lane {origin} to {destination} is already listed.
Stable: Green – Relatively open capacity and low spot market rates
Strained: Yellow – Capacity is tight and mid-level spot market rates
Critical: Red – Backlog of capacity and high spot market rates
Help minimise supply chain disruptors, while providing ways your supply chain can tackle the peak season. Included are key solutions you can adopt to lift the strain on your business and reduce the impact it can have on operations.
Learn how the updated measures during the 2022–2023 BMSB season will impact you, with Brian Slater, Oceania's Customs Manager.
Learn about the dynamics behind equipment shortages in the U.S. inland market with Jenna Kuehn, Director of Global Forwarding Inland at C.H. Robinson.
Discover how our deep expertise and seamless, multimodal set of global services can help you realize potential ocean and air savings.