Xeneta reports 324%-325% Far East-US rate surge

The Global Trade Brief · 25 September 2026

Five minutes to understand what matters in global trade.

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What to Watch

• Watch enforcement of new US sanctions on Russia’s oil trade and supporting tanker fleet.
• Hapag-Lloyd’s Pakistan-to-Europe tariff increases apply to sailings from 1 October.
• King Ocean switches Panama surcharges on Ecuador and Peru cargo from 14 October.

The full day in global trade

Today’s Headlines

• CMA CGM reshapes Far East–Middle East CIMEX services
• DHL launches AI tool for customs and tariff analysis
• US and China discuss cutting tariffs on American LNG
• Supertanker shortage threatens long-haul oil trades
• FADEEAC challenges Ramallo truck charges
• Cyberattack suspicion diverts LNG tanker to Algeciras
• Maersk adds LCL emergency surcharge to Gulf markets
• Japan Engine completes hydrogen engine for large ships
• Asian carriers order 14 container ships
• HMM and ONE replace Guayaquil with Posorja
• Higher oil prices lift bunker and diesel costs
• CMA CGM nears order for 12 ships of 24,000 TEU
• Latin American cargo insurance costs fall 17.5%
• Houthi expansion raises risks for African Red Sea states
• Transnet plans LNG terminal at East London port

Today’s Analysis

📍 CMA CGM, HMM and ONE alter port rotations, shifting regional gateways

Why it matters: Revised calls change direct-service access across the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Latin America.

• CMA CGM will remove Hong Kong and Sohar from CIMEX1.
• CIMEX3 will add Qingdao, Fujairah, Colombo and Sohar.
• CMA CGM will remove Khor Fakkan, occasional Duqm calls and the weekly westbound Singapore call from CIMEX3.
• HMM and ONE replaced Guayaquil with Posorja on the NW4/AX4 service.
• The change coincides with the expansion of DP World Posorja to 700 metres of quay.

🛃 DHL digitizes customs analysis as US-China LNG tariff talks advance

Why it matters: Better declaration analysis can expose duty and clearance costs while tariff talks could alter US LNG access to China.

• DHL Global Forwarding launched TradeNavigator within its TradeConnect environment.
• The AI-based tool uses customs declaration data from more than 75 countries.
• Users can examine duty spending, tariff exposure, clearance times and individual declaration line items.
• DHL said pilot customers identified duty-spend patterns and recurring clearance bottlenecks.
• The United States and China are discussing reducing or eliminating Chinese tariffs on American LNG.

🛢️ Tanker scarcity and Gulf charges raise the cost of energy-linked trade

Why it matters: Higher vessel, bunker and emergency charges can make long-haul oil movements uneconomic and increase Gulf shipment costs.

• A shortage of supertankers is threatening long-haul crude trades as oil transport costs rise.
• Lower Middle East supply is lifting bunker and diesel prices.
• Maersk introduced an Emergency Operational Cost Recovery surcharge for LCL shipments to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
• The Maersk surcharge is US$500 for 20-foot and 40-foot dry containers, with an LCL minimum and weight-or-measure charge of US$14.
• The charge applies worldwide except from Far East Asia and remains effective until further notice.
• The Maritime Executive reports that Houthi control of parts of the Red Sea creates a new platform for challenging shipping.

🔗 Related: Reciprocal tanker attacks escalate near Hormuz

🚛 Ramallo truck charges face a legal challenge as cargo premiums fall

Why it matters: New road charges can erode Argentina’s export competitiveness even as regional cargo insurance becomes cheaper.

• FADEEAC asked Argentina’s Economy Ministry to suspend charges planned by the Municipality of Ramallo.
• The affected 5.1-kilometre road links National Route 9 with the industrial park and Port of San Nicolás.
• Planned charges reach $37,000 per dynamic weighing and another $25,000 for access to industrial sites or parking areas.
• FADEEAC said the per-kilometre cost would be 120% higher than the Zárate–Brazo Largo Bridge toll.
• Ramallo has also charged a 2% levy on each litre of fuel sold locally since January.
• Cargo insurance costs in Latin America and the Caribbean fell 17.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026.

🔐 Suspected cyberattack diverts LNG cargo as Transnet plans a new terminal

Why it matters: Cyber disruption can redirect loaded energy cargoes while new LNG infrastructure changes future gateway capacity.

• A loaded LNG tanker was diverted from Rovigo port to Algeciras after a suspected cyberattack.
• South African port operator Transnet decided to build an LNG terminal at East London port.
• Transnet intends the terminal to improve the port’s competitiveness.

⚙️ Japan Engine completes hydrogen unit, moving ship trials to 2027

Why it matters: Successful vessel installation would move high-hydrogen combustion from factory testing into commercial shipping.

• Japan Engine Corporation completed the 6UEC35LSGH hydrogen-fueled engine for large commercial vessels.
• Factory tests achieved a hydrogen co-firing rate of at least 95%.
• Project partners reported greenhouse-gas emissions more than 95% below conventional heavy-fuel-oil engines during testing.
• ClassNK attended the approval testing.
• The engine is scheduled for installation in January 2027 on a 17,500 DWT multipurpose vessel for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and MOL Drybulk.
• Onomichi Dockyard is building the vessel, while Kawasaki Heavy Industries will provide its Marine Hydrogen Fuel System.

🚢 Asian carriers expand orderbooks, adding ships from 1,900 to 24,000 TEU

Why it matters: Firm and prospective orders widen the container capacity pipeline across regional and mainline trades.

• Four Asian carriers placed firm orders for 14 container ships, with options potentially raising the total to 16.
• China United Lines ordered two 14,000 TEU ships from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding.
• Wan Hai ordered six 11,000 TEU ships from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding.
• Asean Seas Line ordered two 5,300 TEU ships from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong, with options for two more.
• Regional Container Lines ordered four 1,900 TEU ships from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong.
• CMA CGM is reportedly close to ordering 12 container ships of 24,000 TEU with dual-LNG propulsion.

🔗 Related: Container fleet nears 34m TEU record

Sources

1. CMA CGM further reshapes CIMEX services
2. DHL launches AI tool for customs and tariff analysis
3. US and China discuss cutting tariffs on US LNG ahead of Xi visit
4. World running short of supertankers threatens long-haul oil flow
5. FADEEAC challenges alleged illegal toll in Ramallo
6. Loaded LNG tanker diverted after suspected cyberattack
7. Maersk introduces LCL emergency surcharge to Gulf markets
8. Japan Engine completes hydrogen engine for large commercial ships
9. Asian carriers order 14 container ships in new fleet expansion
10. HMM and ONE replace Guayaquil with Posorja
11. Higher oil prices threaten shipping and global logistics
12. CMA CGM reportedly nears order for 12 ships of 24,000 TEU
13. Latin American cargo insurance costs fall despite logistics risks
14. African Red Sea states face growing risks as Houthis expand reach
15. South Africa plans LNG terminal at East London port