What’s going on in freight

Washington has moved Monday’s China tariff and ship-fee cliff to 9 January, while attacks around Hormuz and on Saudi Arabia keep Gulf and Red Sea routings on hold. Ashore, US rail rates are climbing mainly on fuel, and Chile’s main port is moving again after truckers won a diesel-linked pay deal.

War, chokepoints and disruption

• A product tanker caught fire about eight nautical miles off Khasab, Oman, on 7 November and a second ship was hit by a projectile while leaving the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say tankers hit mines on an “unauthorised route”, while US Central Command says the recognised routes are clear of mines. (Maritime Executive, Khaleej Times (Reuters)) Our story →
• Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh was attacked, with minor damage and no casualties, after the Houthis claimed six operations on 7 November including Riyadh airport and Aramco’s Abqaiq site. Only the Riyadh building is confirmed. (Xinhua, Middle East Eye) Our story →
• Independent truckers ended a nine-day blockade of the depots serving San Antonio, Chile’s main port, on 6 November after winning an 8% tariff rise that will now track an official transport cost index and diesel. More than 3,000 containers were held on each side of the gate as the cherry export season began. (El Diario Santiago, WSWS) Our story →

Rates and markets

• US transcontinental intermodal contract rates are up more than 12% year on year, and fuel explains about two-thirds of the rise, FreightWaves SONAR data show. Maersk’s emergency intermodal fuel surcharge on US and Canada rail-ramp imports rises to $350 per dry box and $400 per reefer from 16 November. (FreightWaves, Maersk) Our story →

Tariffs, customs and policy

• USTR has extended all 178 China Section 301 tariff exclusions and kept US port fees on China-linked ships suspended to 11:59pm ET on 9 January 2027, in notices dated 6 November. Goods entered from Tuesday 10 November keep their exclusions, so there is no snap-back to full duty. (USTR, USTR, The Standard (Reuters)) Our story →

Forwarders, carriers and deals

• Adani Ports (APSEZ) agreed to buy Evos, Europe’s second-largest independent tank-storage operator, for an enterprise value of €2.56bn. Evos runs eight liquid-bulk port terminals in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Malta, so container forwarders will feel little directly. (gCaptain, India Shipping News) Our story →

Coming up

• Tuesday 10 November, 12:01am ET: extended China Section 301 exclusion period begins Our story →
• Monday 16 November: Maersk’s higher US and Canada emergency intermodal fuel surcharge takes effect Our story →
• 18–19 November: Trump–Xi meeting at APEC in Shenzhen Our story →
• 14–15 December: Trump–Xi meeting at the G20 in Miami Our story →
• 9 January 2027, 11:59pm ET: China Section 301 exclusions and ship-fee suspension expire unless extended again Our story →