Port delays absorb 6.6% of global container capacity

The Global Trade Brief · 8 September 2026

Five minutes to understand what matters in global trade.

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What to Watch

• Watch U.S. freight fuel costs after diesel reached a record $5.85 per gallon.
• Watch the status of Chinese rare-earth shipments to the U.S. after several producers suspended some exports.
• Watch organized hijackings off Somalia; EU commanders estimate more than 120 pirates are operating at sea.

The full day in global trade

Today’s Headlines

• South Korea weighs Hormuz navigation support options
• Shipping coalition urges adoption of IMO net-zero rules
• 36% of manufacturers report active reshoring plans
• Las Palmas transfers 8,076 m² terminal concession to Astican
• Typhoon Saudel lifts intra-Asia spot rates by 9%
• Barcelona BEST adds two larger quay cranes
• US drayage capacity concerns push rates higher
• FBI probes claim involving 153m driver’s license records
• Chile and India aim to conclude CEPA talks this year
• Port of Oakland plans larger turning basin for bigger ships

Today’s Analysis

📈 Typhoon Saudel lifts intra-Asia rates as US drayage tightens, raising inland and ocean costs

Why it matters: Importers face simultaneous pressure on short-sea freight prices and the availability of trucks moving containers at US ports.

• Typhoon Saudel contributed to a 9% increase in intra-Asia spot freight rates.
• Continuing Middle East tensions also placed upward pressure on intra-Asia rates.
• The Loadstar reported mounting concerns over US drayage capacity and pricing.
• Schneider described drayage as the primary constraint on some conversions from over-the-road transport.
• Schneider avoided growth that would have required expensive third-party drayage.

🏗️ Las Palmas, Barcelona and Oakland expand port assets to handle more diverse and larger vessels

Why it matters: New cranes, terminal rights and wider manoeuvring space can increase cargo-handling flexibility and vessel access at three gateways.

• The Las Palmas Port Authority authorised the transfer of an 8,076 m² concession from Hamilton y Compañía to Astilleros Canarias.
• The Las Palmas concession covers ship repairs and a multipurpose terminal for non-food solid bulk and smaller cargoes.
• Containers are excluded from the Las Palmas concession, which expires in December 2047.
• Hutchison Ports BEST received two new, larger STS quay cranes at the Port of Barcelona.
• The Port of Oakland completed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expand its turning basin.
• Oakland’s project is intended to accommodate larger ships.

🛡️ South Korea considers Hormuz navigation support as military options enter the assessment

Why it matters: South Korean involvement could alter the security framework surrounding commercial vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz.

• South Korea is evaluating options to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
• The options under consideration include military measures.
• PortalPortuario reported the assessment through Reuters.

🔐 FBI probes a claim involving 153m license records, exposing driver-verification risk

Why it matters: Compromised license data could make it harder for warehouses, brokers and carriers to distinguish legitimate drivers from pickup impostors.

• The FBI is examining a dark-web service that claimed access to 153m driver’s license records.
• The claimed Nexus collection covered people in the United States and Canada.
• Some records were labelled CDL or ECDL.
• The FBI has not identified an affected transportation company or commercial driver.
• No evidence currently connects the records to cargo theft.
• IDScan.net has not confirmed unauthorised access involving its systems.

🌱 Clean Shipping Coalition presses IMO states to adopt net-zero rules, seeking stable fuel investment signals

Why it matters: The final framework will influence fuel standards and the investment assumptions behind lower-emission vessels and maritime infrastructure.

• The Clean Shipping Coalition urged IMO member states to adopt the Net-Zero Framework without delay.
• The coalition warned that alternative proposals could weaken shipping emissions rules.
• It also warned of weaker fuel standards and maritime decarbonisation investment signals.

🏭 Manufacturers advance reshoring despite tariff uncertainty, splitting future sourcing strategies

Why it matters: Diverging reshoring plans will change supplier locations, import volumes and domestic freight demand unevenly across manufacturers.

• 36% of manufacturers said they were actively reshoring.
• Another 31% said they had no reshoring plans.
• The figures came from a Reshoring Initiative report.
• Tariff and cost uncertainty remain factors in investment decisions.

🤝 Chile and India target a year-end CEPA conclusion, seeking broader bilateral market access

Why it matters: A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement could expand bilateral trade and create additional export opportunities for Chilean businesses.

• The Chilean government and Indian authorities aim to conclude CEPA negotiations before the end of 2026.
• The process seeks to expand trade between Chile and India.
• The negotiations also seek new opportunities for Chilean exports.

Sources

1. South Korea evaluates options to support freedom of navigation in Hormuz
2. Shipping’s Net-Zero Framework sails on despite opposition
3. More OEMs plan reshoring investments despite tariff uncertainty
4. Las Palmas transfers 8,076 m² multipurpose terminal concession
5. Typhoon Saudel drives intra-Asia spot freight rates up 9%
6. Hutchison Ports BEST adds two larger quay cranes
7. Capacity fears rise as US drayage rates strengthen
8. FBI investigates claim involving 153m license records
9. Chile-India trade agreement enters a key stage
10. Port of Oakland to expand turning basin for larger ships