Tuesday, October 20, 2026
The news that moves freight
The Freight Brief Oct 16, 2026

What’s going on in freight — Friday 16 October 2026

The Hormuz war reached the container feeders this week, while the Suez return passed halfway and Asia-Europe spot rates ticked up for the first time in three months. On land and in Washington, DHL is betting on a strong air peak, J.B. Hunt is warning of higher inland rates, and a run of US trade actions (a waived Russia tariff, an FMC move on Spain, two CBP rules) set dates forwarders need in the diary.

War, chokepoints and disruption

  • The 2,824-TEU feeder GFS Pride was hit in the Strait of Hormuz on 13 October and sank; all 21 crew got off safely. Analyst Lars Jensen says Maersk, ONE, PIL and OOCL showed active schedules on some of the feeders that were hit, so mainline bookings may have been aboard. (FreightWaves, The Loadstar) [01]
  • Iran’s army chief of staff said on 15 October that “The Strait of Hormuz is closed”, and Kpler counted 131 crossings in the week to 14 October, down from 176. (FreightWaves, gCaptain) [01]
  • Container capacity through Suez averaged 753,000 TEU a week in early October, BIMCO says, past half of the 1,457,000 TEU of the same weeks in 2023 for the first time since the Houthi attacks began. The Houthi war with Saudi Arabia is escalating next door. (Cyprus Shipping News (BIMCO), Seatrade Maritime) [03]

Rates and markets

  • Drewry’s World Container Index rose 3% to $4,485 per 40ft on 15 October, and Shanghai–Rotterdam rose 6% to $3,522, ending 13 straight weeks of decline on Asia-Europe. Carriers want FAK rates of $4,500–$4,800 from 19 October, but a forwarder told The Loadstar demand is “a bit flat”. (Drewry, The Loadstar) [02]
  • Drewry’s tracker shows only 44 of 713 East–West sailings blanked from 19 October to 22 November, a 6% cancellation rate. (Drewry) [02]

Tariffs, customs and policy

  • A White House order published on 16 October raises duty on Russian goods by 500% and on the top five buyers of Russian oil and gas by 100%, then waives those duties in Section 4. Nothing changes at the border yet, but the switch now exists. (The White House, TFTC) [05]
  • The FMC proposed a $200,000 fee on every US port call by a Spanish-flagged ship, plus limits on about $3.1 billion a year of Spanish goods, over Spain’s refusal to let US-flagged Maersk ships call in November 2024. Comments close on 14 December. (FMC, gCaptain) [07]
  • CBP pushed mandatory postal Entry Type 13 from 22 October 2026 to 20 January 2027. A separate proposal would make Entry Type 11 courier entries due on or before arrival instead of within 15 days, with comments due 7 December. (BDO, Supply Chain Dive) [08]
  • From 14 October, Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum goods have a federal definition of “U.S. content” under Section 232. CBP’s 40% reporting cap for steel derivatives means the 15% floor still sets the bill. (Federal Register, Customs & International Trade Law Blog) [09]

Forwarders, carriers and deals

  • DHL Group raised its 2026 EBIT guidance to more than €7.0bn, from more than €6.5bn, after Q3 EBIT rose about 16% to roughly €1,710m. It cites “indications of a robust seasonal peak in Q4”. (Finanzwire (EQS ad hoc)) [04]
  • J.B. Hunt moved 8% more intermodal loads in Q3, but its CFO said costs “impacted operating income by over $50 million versus the second quarter of this year”. CEO Shelley Simpson said driver pressure “typically yields a much better pricing environment for the next” bid cycle. (Business Wire, Truck News, FreightWaves) [06]

Software, AI and automation

  • WiseTech shares rose 5.2% to A$35.28 after ASIC issued no-action letters to founder Richard White, two employees and the company. Citi expects CargoWise AI agents to be priced separately from the Value Pack bundle. (Investing.com via Yahoo Finance, The Loadstar) [10]

Coming up

  • 18 October: purchases of Russian energy on or after this date count toward the Graham Act’s 100% buyer tariff (currently waived). [05]
  • 19 October: carriers’ new Asia-Europe FAK rates take effect; the Graham Act deadline for action against Sberbank, VTB and Gazprombank, per TFTC. [02] [05]
  • 31 October: MSC and CMA CGM’s 19 October FAK rates expire. [02]
  • 5 November: DHL publishes full Q3 results. [04]
  • 7 December: comments close on CBP’s low-value shipments proposal. [08]
  • 14 December: comments close on the FMC’s Spain proposal. [07]
  • 20 January 2027: postal Entry Type 13 becomes mandatory. [08]