Nearly 11% of the global container fleet is stuck at anchor — the worst port jam in four years — as importers front-load ahead of August tariffs.
The brief
US ports are tracking toward a record ~2.47M TEU in July as shippers pull volume forward before an expected tariff step-up. Carriers are already pricing the crunch: CMA CGM added a $4,000/FEU peak surcharge on Asia–US from July 10, and HMM layered on $3,000/FEU from July 15.
Takeaway
If your Q3 is front-loaded, model surcharge exposure now and stagger bookings — the berth queue, not the ocean leg, is where your transit time is bleeding.
Read the original at C.H. Robinson
https://www.chrobinson.com/en-us/resources/insights-and-advisories/north-america-freight-insights/jul-2026-freight-market-update/