Freight rates set to climb
CH Robinson forecasts freight rates up about 12% as bunker costs outpace demand — flatbed rejections are near 50%, squeezing shippers and carriers ( ). Shipping firms are feeling the pain: Hapag‑Lloyd is losing roughly $40–50M a week while U.S. DOT is allocating $488M in port grants (including $122M for small ports) to ease bottlenecks (x.com).
C.H. Robinson’s March Edge report shows flatbed demand jumped in late winter, with DAT’s flatbed load-to-truck ratio rising to about 57.1 in February as flatbed load posts climbed roughly 26.8% month‑over‑month. (ryantrans.com; chrobinson.com) FreightWaves SONAR data flagged a sharp move in flatbed tender behavior late February — the SONAR Truckload Rejection Index for flatbed climbed from the low‑30s to the low‑40s in a matter of weeks, reflecting carriers turning down contract tenders. (rjlogistics.com; gosonar.com) Global bunker markets tightened as crude moved above $100 per barrel late March, and BunkerIndex spot assessments for VLSFO showed elevated levels across major bunkering hubs, prompting carriers to reprice fuel via BAF and emergency surcharges. (tradingeconomics.com; bunkerindex.com; move-expert.com) Major liners have altered routing: Maersk publicly paused Trans‑Suez sailings and rerouted ME11/MECL services via the Cape of Good Hope, a diversion that industry trackers say adds roughly 10–14 days to some voyages and has driven a surge of vessels around the Cape. (maersk.com; themiddleeastinsider.com; capeargus.co.za) The Maritime Administration posted a Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Port Infrastructure Development Program this month, opening a competitive round of grants for port authorities, states and terminal operators with applications due June 27, 2026. (maritime.dot.gov; workboat.com) Hapag‑Lloyd has reported multiple vessels unable to operate through the Persian Gulf and cited stranded units and disrupted crew rotations as operational pressures increase, with the CEO calling the situation a “big challenge” for network planning. (logistics.maritimeprofessional.com; marketscreener.com)
