AJOT Insights features expert analysis and opinion on transportation, logistics, maritime, ports, air cargo, trucking, rail, intermodal and international trade.
CMA CGM’s $400M Sohar logistics investment underscores a lasting Gulf supply chain shift as carriers bypass the Strait of Hormuz and expand resilient trade routes through Oman and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports.
China’s Hengli Heavy Industry is planning the world’s longest drydock after transforming a bankrupt Dalian shipyard into a global shipbuilding powerhouse, offering lessons for U.S. efforts to revive domestic maritime manufacturing.
The IMO has paused its Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan for more than 11,000 stranded seafarers after an Evergreen-operated cargo ship was attacked, renewing concerns over crew safety, shipping security, and Iran’s control of the vital trade route.
Europe is weighing tougher trade defenses as surging Chinese exports widen the EU trade deficit, disrupt automotive supply chains, and intensify pressure for new tariffs, stronger industrial policy, and faster investment in European manufacturing.
In May, the Port of Long Beach moved 842,000 TEUs, nearly 32% higher compared with last year, making it “our third busiest May on record,” according to Noel Hacegaba, CEO, Port of Long Beach.
With U.S. tariffs at historic highs, Foreign-Trade Zones offer importers a proven way to eliminate or defer duties, consolidate customs fees, improve cash flow, and recover millions in supply chain profitability.
When the US suspended its de minimis exemption for goods under $800 in August 2025, it led to an immediate and significant decline in cross-border e-commerce traffic.
Despite a legal win clearing the way for wind permitting, offshore wind developers remain cautious as federal lease buybacks, policy uncertainty, and delayed port investments threaten clean energy growth, grid reliability, and thousands of potential jobs.
President Trump’s new customs enforcement order signals a tougher era for import compliance, pushing importers, customs brokers, and logistics providers to strengthen tariff classification, country-of-origin controls, audit readiness, and trade data management.
The Port of Los Angeles posted a 17% cargo surge in May as importers moved quickly amid tariff uncertainty, higher fuel costs, and global supply chain risks, while weak exports continued to pressure U.S. farmers and producers.