Weekly highlights

Ocean rates – Freightos Baltic Index

• Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) increased 3% to $2,395/FEU.     
• Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) increased 1% to $3,406/FEU. 
• Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) increased 6% to $2,398/FEU. 
• Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 3% to $2,939/FEU. 

Air rates – Freightos Air index

• China – N. America weekly prices stayed level at $5.28/kg.
• China – N. Europe weekly prices increased 1% to $3.51/kg.
• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices fell 1% to $1.89/kg.

Analysis

The US and Chinese governments have announced a 90-day deescalation of the tariffs introduced by both sides in April.

Starting May 14th, the US will reduce its reciprocal tariffs on China from 125% to 10%, which – together with the 10% tariff increases introduced in February and again in March targeting fentanyl flows from China – bring the new baseline to a 30% minimum tariff on all Chinese exports to the US. Goods that were subject to tariffs already in place before President Trump took office this year are still face those additional duties as well.

China will reduce its April retaliatory tariffs on US exports from 125% to 10% as the parties commit to continued discussions and negotiations toward a new agreement during the three month pause.

Ocean Freight

This resulting 30% minimum tariff on all Chinese goods is higher than the highest tariffs applied to a more limited list of goods during the first Trump administration. But National Retail Federation US ocean import data show that even when facing a minimum 20% tariff on all Chinese goods in March, US importers continued to frontload inventory ahead of the prospect of even higher tariffs. Volumes in March and April were 11% higher than in 2024 and featured one of the strongest Aprils on record, though some of that growth was from countries other than China, like Vietnam and Thailand.

The 145% tariffs drove a drop of 35% or more in China-US ocean volumes since early April, so we’re likely to see a significant demand rebound in the near term as shippers replenish inventories that may have started to run down in the past month and as many Chinese manufacturers have high levels of finished goods already ready to ship. 

With an August deadline for the possible return of higher tariff levels, it is also likely that the near-term ocean demand rebound will mark the start of more frontloading. If so, it would also mark the early start of this year’s peak season, which could end earlier than usual as well for the same reasons. 

Even with this deescalation with China though, the expected strength of this year’s transpacific ocean peak season is still a matter of debate. Some experts are of the opinion that even though transpacific demand was strong under 20% tariffs on Chinese goods, 30% levels may deter some shippers. And, with all the frontloading shippers have already done, some peak season demand may already have been moved, which would also mean more subdued peak season volumes compared to last year.

In terms of container rates, despite the sharp drop in China-US volumes since April, transpacific container rates have remained level at about $2,300/FEU to the West Coast and $3,400/FEU to the East Coast, as carriers reduced capacity by an estimated 22% through blank sailings and service suspensions, and by employing smaller vessels on this lane.

Carriers shifted some of that excess transpacific capacity and equipment to other lanes during the April-May pause, and the reduction in sailings over the last few weeks also means fewer empty containers than usual will be making their way back from the US to China in the near term. 

So if demand does pick up sharply, shippers may face a period of tight capacity and equipment shortages as volumes rebound and vessels and containers are still being moved back into place. The quick restart could also mean a big bump in the number of vessels and container volumes arriving at US ports in a few weeks. Taken together, shippers could face difficulty securing space and some congestion and delays in the next few weeks at both origins and US destinations. Even if this is the start of peak season though, it’s likely that this congestion will subside after the initial backlog and imbalances are cleared. 

This seasonal demand coming early and these possible near-term capacity restraints should drive spot rates up soon. But even with Red Sea diversions still in place, rates are already more than 30% lower than a year ago due to fleet growth and increased competition between the new carrier alliances.  Taken together with the possibility that the coming months will see demand rebound but not surge for the reasons noted above, peak season rates may not climb as high as last year’s peaks when rates reached $8,000/FEU to the West Coast and more than $9,800/FEU to the East Coast. 

Air Cargo

As part of this interim US-China agreement, the US also adjusted its customs rules for low value goods from China that up until May 2nd had been entering under the de minimis exemption.

Customs fees for low value imports arriving by postal service will be reduced from 120% to 54% on May 14th. The alternative of a $100 flat fee per low-value postal shipment remains unchanged but will not increase to $200 in June as previously specified. Low value goods not arriving by postal service will still be ineligible for the de minimis exemption and will be subject to formal entry and full duties –  though this tariff level has now dropped from 145% to 30%. 

The de minimis pause since May 2nd was already leading to reports of sharp drops in China-US e-commerce volumes.  But as the vast majority of B2C e-commerce goods from China were moving via freighters often chartered directly by platforms like Temu and Shein, this demand drop is so far reflected mostly in canceled charter flights and not in changes to the spot market. 

Freightos Air Index China – US air cargo spot rates were level last week at $5.28/kg, down from about $5.50/kg in April, but are still well above typical non-peak levels. Even though e-commerce goods have gone mostly by charters, the e-commerce drain on freighter capacity is attributed with keeping transpacific spot rates elevated at around their current level since mid-2023.  So – though it seems not to have happened just yet – when freed up freighter capacity re-enters the spot market we’re likely to see downward pressure on spot rates too.

The US tariff drop to 30% may entice some e-commerce volumes back to air cargo as it reduces the duty burden on low-value goods.  But with the interim agreement keeping de minimis eligibility suspended for Chinese goods, and with formal entry filing costs often exceeding the value of many e-commerce shipments, it seems unlikely that this 90-day pause will have as strong an effect on air cargo as it may on ocean freight. 

The US and Chinese governments have announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs introduced by both sides in April. 

Starting May 14th, the US will reduce its reciprocal tariffs on China from 125% to 10%, which – together with the 10% tariff increases introduced in February and again in March targeting fentanyl flows from China – bring the new baseline to a 30% minimum tariff on all Chinese exports to the US. 

The US also adjusted its customs rules for low value goods from China that had been entering under the de minimis exemption.  Customs fees for low value imports arriving by postal service will be reduced from 120% to 54%, though the alternative of a flat fee of $100 per shipment remains unchanged. Low value goods not arriving by postal service are still subject to formal entry and full duties, though this level has now dropped from 145% to 30%.  

Goods that were subject to tariffs already in place before President Trump took office this year are still subject to those additional duties as well. 

China will reduce its reciprocal tariffs on the US from 125% to 10% for all US exports.

During this three month pause China and the US will continue discussions and negotiations on trade relations and toward a new agreement. 

Demand Implications

This 30% minimum tariff on Chinese goods is higher than the highest tariffs applied to a more limited list of goods during the first Trump administration. But National Retail Federation US ocean import data shows that even when subject to a minimum of 20% tariffs on Chinese goods in March, US importers continued to frontload inventory ahead of the prospect of even higher tariffs, with volumes in March and April 11% higher than in 2024. 

So while the 145% tariffs drove a drop of 35% or more in China-US ocean volumes since early April, we’re likely to see a significant demand rebound in the near term as shippers replenish inventories that may have started to run down in the past month and as many Chinese manufacturers have high levels of finished goods already ready to ship. 

And with an August deadline for the possible return of higher tariff levels, it is likely we’ll see frontloading restart meaning an early start and probably an early tapering off of peak season-level volumes this year. With significant frontloading already taking place since November, though, it’s possible that this year’s peak season will see lower volumes compared to last year in any case.

Ocean Operations and Freight Rates

Despite the recent sharp drop in demand, transpacific container rates have remained level since early April at about $2,300/FEU to the West Coast and $3,400/FEU to the East Coast, as carriers reduced capacity through blank sailings and service suspensions, and by employing smaller vessels on this lane.

Carriers may have started shifting some of that excess transpacific capacity to other lanes during the April pause, and the reduction in sailings over the last few weeks also means fewer empty containers than usual will be making their way back to China in the near term. 

So if demand does pick up sharply, shippers may face a period of tight capacity and some equipment shortages as vessels and containers are moved back into place. A big increase in demand would also mean a big bump in the number of vessels and container volumes arriving at US ports in a few weeks. Taken together, shippers could face increased container rates and some congestion and delays in the next few weeks at both origins and US destinations. 

This seasonal demand coming early and these possible near-term capacity restraints – and with Red Sea diversions still absorbing some vessel capacity – should drive spot rates up. But with rates already more than 30% lower than a year ago due to fleet growth and increased competition between the new carrier alliances – and with a lot of demand already satisfied through frontloading to date –  peak season rates may not climb as high as last year’s peak season highs when rates reached $8,000/FEU to the West Coast and more than $9,800/FEU to the East Coast. 

Weekly highlights

Ocean rates – Freightos Baltic Index

• Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) stayed level at $2,321/FEU.     
• Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) stayed level at $3,386/FEU. 
• Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 3% to $2,261/FEU. 
• Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 2% to $3,027/FEU. 

Air rates – Freightos Air index

• China – N. America weekly prices fell 5% to $5.28/kg.
• China – N. Europe weekly prices fell 6% to $3.49/kg.
• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices fell 5% to $1.91/kg.

Analysis

US tariffs on China – introduced and then quickly raised to 145% in early April –  are already causing pain to the US logistics market and to shippers whose first goods subject to these tariffs are starting to arrive at US ports. 

The tariff hike has driven a sharp drop in China – US container flows with manufacturing in China also being negatively impacted. And even with a 90-day tariff pause for many other US trading partners and the US’s recent easing of terms for auto tariffs, some countries, like Taiwan and Korea where automotive goods make up a significant share of exports to the US, are seeing manufacturing take a hit as well. 

Many US importers have paused orders out of China, but shippers (as well as manufacturers) can hold out only so long before consumers will start to see empty shelves or higher prices. 

There are reports that some major US retailers have already restarted ordering from China, either out of necessity or anticipation that tariff levels will be lower by the time of arrival as the US and China get closer to direct negotiations. In any case, the reduction in US sourcing from China for the last few weeks will start to be felt soon in fewer May container ship arrivals and lower import volumes.

The pause is also raising concerns over what will happen if US tariffs on China are reduced and volumes quickly rebound. The longer the pause the more disruptive the potential surge – in the form of increased container rates and possible congestion – might be.

In the meantime, the White House continues to express interest in negotiations that would reduce tariffs on a long list of trading partners before the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends in July, with the European Union being asked, for example, to buy more US goods as part of their deal.

Despite dropping volumes out of China and some increase in demand out of other countries like Vietnam, transpacific container rates were level this week as carriers have successfully reduced capacity to current volume levels through a significant number of blanked sailings and service adjustments.

Despite persistent congestion at several major container hubs in Europe which typically puts upward pressure on container rates, Asia – Europe spot prices dipped slightly last week, possibly due to an increase in capacity as carriers shift transpacific vessels to these lanes. 

Carriers are moving now-excess transpacific capacity to other trades like the transatlantic and Middle East too, which could further complicate a smooth restart of China – US volumes as vessels will be out of position. 

With the current capacity management measures in place, despite the recent trade war induced volatility, carriers have succeeded in keeping rates about 50% higher than in 2019 on the major lanes with Red Sea diversions also helping to absorb capacity. But even so, rates on these trades are around 30% lower than last year due to fleet growth and increased competition between the recently launched carrier alliances. 

Though a rapid return of container traffic to the Red Sea in the near future is probably still unlikely, President Trump’s announcement yesterday that the US reached a ceasefire deal with the Houthis is the most significant change to the status quo since the group pledged to only target Israeli ships during the Israel-Hamas ceasefire early this year.  Houthi statements indicate they will cease targeting US vessels as long the US holds off attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen, but they promise to continue attacks on Israel and it is unclear what all this means for vessels from other countries.

Container carriers won’t return to the Suez until there is clarity and they feel assured of safe passage, but when they do resume traffic on this lane the shorter voyage will – after an adjustment period – release a significant amount of capacity back into the market, increasing the prospect that carriers will face oversupply and strong downward pressure on rates.

Following the US’s suspension of de minimis eligibility for Chinese goods last week, Temu announced it will no longer ship goods directly from China to US customers. This move implies a significant shift away from air cargo for China-US e-commerce and to ocean freight and domestic fulfillment in an effort to avoid tariffs as long as possible, reduce costs from air cargo, or shift the tariff burden to domestic sellers.

The B2C e-commerce shift away from air cargo has resulted in a sharp drop in China – US air volumes – as much as two million kilo per day –  reflected in a 30% capacity decrease since the suspension. But as e-commerce shipments from these platforms traveled mostly in chartered freighters, as charter and other capacity is being removed from this lane, and as spot demand from other sectors – like many electronics exempt from tariffs for now – may still be relatively strong, spot rates have yet to collapse. 

Freightos Air Index China – US rates eased only 5% last week to a still well above normal $5.28/kg. And as Temu and Shein shift some of their focus to other markets, carriers have started moving capacity to other lanes as well. This capacity shift may partly explain China – Europe rates falling to less than $3.50/kg last week, their lowest level since early March. Transatlantic rates of $1.90/kg are more than 20% lower than in late March, possibly from capacity additions as well.

Sebastien Podgorski, VP of Airline Solutions at WebCargo by Freightos, explains that since the lion’s share of the e-commerce effect was felt by charterers, many carriers are actually reporting a recent bump in volumes overall, driven partly by an ocean to air shift from shippers looking to beat tariff roll outs.

We’re excited to announce that SHIPSTA by Freightos is officially rebranding as Freightos Procure. This marks a significant milestone in our journey to digitize and simplify global freight procurement, part of our comprehensive Freightos Enterprise suite.

SHIPSTA Becomes Freightos Procure

Since joining the Freightos family in 2024, SHIPSTA has strengthened our Freightos Enterprise solutions, empowering large shippers with advanced procurement capabilities. This rebrand represents the natural next step in our integration, bringing SHIPSTA’s advanced procurement platform fully into the Freightos Enterprise ecosystem.

As Freightos Procure, we’ll continue to innovate and enhance our enterprise procurement solutions, helping you optimize freight spend, streamline RFQs and tendering processes, and make data-driven decisions with confidence. SHIPSTA, now integrated into Freightos Procure, continues to lead the way in agile procurement solutions.

Enhanced Enterprise Capabilities

For existing customers, this transition will be seamless. You’ll continue to enjoy the same features, interface, and dedicated support you’ve come to expect, now as a core pillar of the Freightos Enterprise platform.

The rebrand brings several key benefits for enterprise shippers:

• Unified Enterprise Experience: A streamlined procurement solution within the Freightos Enterprise ecosystem
• Comprehensive Data Intelligence: Complements Freightos Terminal for enhanced rate benchmarking and market analytics
• End-to-End Visibility: Complete procurement-to-execution visibility across your global supply chain
• Strategic Decision Support: Advanced analytics to uncover optimized award scenarios and identify lanes with savings potential for effortless tendering

With automated workflows and autonomous procurement tools, enterprise shippers can reduce manual processes and accelerate sourcing cycles. Our digital rate management system ensures faster and more accurate quoting and tendering, even in the face of ongoing market volatility.

Leadership Perspective

We’re not just changing a name. We’re raising the bar.

Freightos Procure stands for a shared commitment to redefine freight procurement with smarter data, seamless workflows, and real decision-making intelligence.

With Freightos Procure, we’re now in a position to build true Procurement Intelligence – by combining global market data with modern sourcing and decision-making processes.

What excites me personally is that we’re no longer just offering platforms – we’re empowering our customers with real decision-making intelligence, helping them make their supply chains more resilient, efficient, and sustainable.

And yes, we see ourselves a bit like a Robin Hood for logistics – unlocking intelligence and access not just for the few, but for the entire global ecosystem.

This marks our next step forward, and I’m genuinely looking forward to continuing this journey together with our great team, customers, and partners.

– Christian Wilhelm

For years, at SHIPSTA, we have had the vision of supporting an end-to-end logistics process, making data accessible at the right place within an expected time, focusing on our strength, which is Supply Chain procurement. Being integrated in the Freightos Enterprise solution offering benchmarking capabilities in combination with different procurement events and being able to book transportation perfectly fits the overall Vision we have in SHIPSTA, but also we in Freightos are believing in.

– Oliver Esch

A Complete Enterprise Solution for Procurement Leaders

This rebrand marks a critical milestone in Freightos Enterprise’s strategy. With Freightos Procure joining our suite of enterprise solutions, we’re building a comprehensive platform that seamlessly connects procurement, market intelligence, and execution. 

This enables shippers to leverage market data for smarter sourcing decisions and efficiently convert negotiated rates into bookable freight options, creating a cohesive freight management lifecycle from planning to execution.

The Freightos Enterprise suite now provides:

• Freightos Terminal: Real-time rate benchmarking and market intelligence
• Freightos Procure: Advanced RFQ management and freight procurement
• Freightos Rate, Book, & Manage: End-to-end freight management and execution

As Freightos Procure, we’ll continue to innovate and enhance our enterprise procurement solutions, helping you optimize freight spend, streamline RFQs and tendering, and make data-driven decisions with confidence.

The Next Chapter in Freight Procurement

In the coming weeks, you’ll see the new Freightos Procure branding across our platform and communications. 

For more information about Freightos Procure and our complete Freightos Enterprise solution suite, visit our website or request a demo.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we embark on this exciting new chapter in our enterprise offerings!

As Freightos’ Chief Strategy Officer, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how the logistics industry has transformed since COVID-19 disrupted supply chains worldwide. What’s become increasingly clear is that there are no more black swans in global logistics. Everything should be expected and planned for.

Disruptions have become the norm, rather than the exception, and the only organizations that can thrive in this new reality are those with the right tools.

The Inspiration Behind Freightos Enterprise

A little over a year ago, my team and I embarked on an extensive listening tour, sitting down with nearly one hundred enterprise shippers and BCO senior executives from the supply chain and logistics sectors. These weren’t casual conversations – they were deep dives into the real challenges keeping supply chain leaders awake at night.

One consistent theme emerged from these discussions: the need to move away from disconnected logistics technology silos toward a much more connected ecosystem. 

The fragmentation of data and processes was creating blind spots, inefficiencies, and ultimately, vulnerability to disruption.

Enterprise shippers are moving quickly towards a fully integrated ecosystem to ensure their supply chains are resilient and comprehensive by consolidating tools and ensuring integration instead of silos of tech. They need to make decisions in real-time or near real-time, as the environment around them rapidly evolves. The days of quarterly reviews and annual procurement cycles are giving way to a much more dynamic, responsive approach to supply chain management.

“Having everything connected – from market intelligence to tender procurement to actual bookings – transforms how shippers operate. Now, teams can focus on strategy, instead of chasing information across multiple systems and endless email chains, saving time and money, and getting goods on shelves with less overhead and more reliability,” says Paolo Galli, VP Group Logistics Operations at Electrolux.

This insight wasn’t merely theoretical. 

The Red Sea crisis demonstrated how quickly shipping routes can be compromised, forcing immediate rerouting decisions. Our data showed that over 90% of enterprise shippers had to reroute shipments during this period, with an average cost increase of 35% per container. 

Evolving geopolitical challenges between major economies have shown how a single policy change can dramatically alter the economics of established supply chains.

When a single tweet can change tariffs on global trading partners, or when conflict in the Middle East impacts shipping lanes, logistics teams need comprehensive visibility and control, not in weeks or days, but in hours.

The Problem with Fragmented Solutions

The logistics technology space is undeniably crowded. 

Since COVID-19, we’ve seen enormous investment in this sector, with numerous specialized solutions emerging. Many of these tools are excellent at solving specific problems – whether it’s procurement automation, rate management, or market intelligence. However, this specialization has created its own challenges.

In our conversations with enterprise logistics and supply chain leaders, we consistently heard about the friction created by managing multiple systems that don’t communicate effectively with each other. One Fortune 100 retailer described maintaining seven different logistics platforms, each requiring separate logins, data management, and training. The inefficiency was staggering, but more concerning was the inability to make holistic decisions when critical information was scattered across disconnected systems.

Our analysis of enterprise logistics operations revealed that teams using manual processes spend an average of 22 hours per week on data entry and validation tasks. That’s over 1,100 hours annually that could be redirected to strategic initiatives. More concerning, we found that manual processes have an average error rate of 4-6%, which may seem small until you consider the impact on a $50M+ freight spend.

Our approach with Freightos Enterprise is fundamentally different. The core differentiator when you’re thinking about a crowded logistics technology market is that we’re not focusing on providing just one niche solution or silo. We’re talking about solving for the entirety of the procurement lifecycle – from strategic sourcing through execution and analysis.

The Data Advantage in a Volatile World

When I talk with supply chain leaders, I often pose this question: If you didn’t have real-time data in an environment changing hour-by-hour, how could you possibly make decisions that ensure your supply chain remains intact?

The reality is that most enterprises are making critical logistics decisions based on outdated or incomplete information. Rate sheets become obsolete almost as soon as they’re negotiated.

Rate sheets become obsolete almost as soon as they’re negotiated. Market conditions change faster than traditional reporting cycles can capture, and the complexity of global supply chains means that important signals are often lost in the noise.

At Freightos, we’ve invested heavily in providing near real-time or real-time data to our customers. Our global network of carriers, forwarders, and shippers generates millions of data points daily, creating an unparalleled view of the logistics marketplace. 

The Freightos Baltic Index (FBX) has become the industry standard for container freight rate tracking, providing transparency in a historically opaque market. Similarly, our Freightos Air Index (FAX) offers the same level of insight for air cargo rates.

For example, when recent tariff wars began, one Fortune 500 company we work with immediately needed to evaluate its total cost of ownership across different regions. By taking real-time market intelligence data from our Terminal module, as fresh as an hour ago, they were able to map out what would happen to their total cost of ownership for each origin and destination within days.

This visibility allowed them to start making real-time adjustments with their LSPs, shifting volume between origins to minimize the impact of new tariffs. Within weeks, they had reconfigured their supply chain to reduce the tariff impact by over 40%, saving millions while maintaining service levels to their customers.

Another global retailer used our platform during the Red Sea crisis to identify alternative routing options and secure capacity ahead of competitors. While others were scrambling to respond, they had already secured the capacity they needed at rates 15-20% below what the market would soon bear. Our data showed that spot rates on Asia-Europe routes increased by over 70% during this period, but our customers who acted quickly based on Terminal insights secured capacity at just 25-30% above pre-crisis levels.

Moving Beyond Excel-Based Workflows

Our research shows that 73% of enterprise organizations still rely on Excel spreadsheets to manage procurement and booking workflows. I get it – Excel is remarkable in many ways and practically runs the world. But it simply cannot provide the flexibility, resilience, and accuracy that today’s environment demands.

I’ve seen logistics teams spend countless hours manually updating spreadsheets, only to find their data is already outdated by the time they finish. When rates are changing daily and capacity is fluctuating, this approach is simply unsustainable. The manual nature of spreadsheet-based processes also introduces a significant risk of errors – a misplaced decimal or incorrect formula can lead to costly mistakes.

Freightos Enterprise standardizes these workflows while ensuring that existing processes aren’t broken. We understand that change management is challenging, especially in large organizations with established ways of working. Our approach is to digitize and enhance your existing processes, not force you to adopt an entirely new methodology.

We eliminate data delays and inaccuracies, enabling logistics teams to focus on strategic decision-making and relationship management, where human expertise truly shines.

The Future of Integrated Logistics

As I look ahead, integration will become increasingly crucial. The future belongs to connected platforms that can bring together disparate data sources and processes into a coherent whole. This isn’t just about technology integration – but about enabling better collaboration between different teams within your organization and with your external partners.

Our strategic focus at Freightos is providing greater effectiveness in integrating not only our platform with enterprises’ current processes, but also making it easier for an enterprise to integrate our solutions across their tech ecosystem. This ensures that visibility isn’t siloed but available organization-wide.

We’ve invested heavily in API capabilities, pre-built connectors for major ERP and TMS systems, and flexible data exchange options to ensure that Freightos Enterprise can work seamlessly withyour existing technology landscape. We’re also exploring advanced applications of AI and machine learning to help identify patterns and opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The goal isn’t just to provide better tools for logistics professionals, but to elevate the strategic importance of logistics within the enterprise. When you can demonstrate the impact of logistics decisions on overall business performance with clear, data-driven insights, you transform logistics from a cost center to a strategic advantage.

A Holistic Industry Approach

Freightos is dedicated to providing a holistic solution that fosters seamless collaboration across shippers, forwarders, and carriers. Our ecosystem approach offers insights into the logistics value chain, enabling us to tailor solutions to immediate needs and promote partner collaboration.

The Freightos platform connects over 10,000 forwarder offices worldwide and integrates with 100+ leading carriers, creating the world’s largest digital freight network. This reach provides unparalleled connectivity and visibility across the global logistics landscape.

This approach is vital as the industry continues its digital evolution. By connecting all stakeholders on WebCargo, 7LFreight, and now Freightos Enterprise, we’re ensuring that the entire logistics ecosystem has access to accurate, high-resolution, low-latency data for better decision-making in an unpredictable world.

The challenges you face as a supply chain and logistics professional are real and growing more complex by the day. According to our recent survey of enterprise logistics leaders, 78% report that market volatility has significantly increased in the past 24 months, while 82% say they lack confidence in their ability to respond quickly to major disruptions.

We built Freightos Enterprise because we believe you deserve better than disconnected systems and outdated data. You deserve a solution that brings everything together, giving you the power to navigate today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties with confidence.

As you evaluate your logistics technology strategy, consider not just the capabilities of individual tools but also how they work together to create a coherent, end-to-end solution. The future belongs to integrated platforms that eliminate friction, enhance visibility, and enable faster, better decisions.

Freightos Enterprise represents our vision for that future – a comprehensive solution that addresses the entire procurement lifecycle, from strategic sourcing through execution and analysis. We’re committed to continuing our investment in this platform, expanding its capabilities, and ensuring it remains at the forefront of logistics innovation.

The world of global logistics will continue to evolve, bringing new challenges and opportunities. With Freightos Enterprise, you’ll be equipped not just to respond to these changes but to anticipate them and turn them to your advantage.

The current uncertainty surrounding the trade war is likewise spurring demand for visibility and speed – this time around, tariff exposure and alternative sourcing options. The companies that thrive will be those that can quickly assess their exposure, model different scenarios, and execute changes to their logistics networks with confidence and precision.

Shaping Global Supply Chains Through 2026 and Beyond

As we look to 2026 and beyond, I believe we’ll see even greater convergence between logistics technology and broader supply chain management. The artificial boundaries between procurement, operations, and intelligence will continue to dissolve, creating truly integrated platforms that provide end-to-end visibility and control.

At Freightos, we’re committed to leading this transformation. Our vision is to create a world where global trade is as simple, transparent, and efficient as possible – where logistics professionals have the tools they need to navigate complexity with confidence and where enterprises can turn their supply chains into competitive advantages.

I invite you to join us on this journey. Whether you’re struggling with the limitations of your current systems, looking to gain better visibility into your logistics operations, or seeking to transform your approach to procurement, Freightos Enterprise offers a comprehensive solution designed for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

The future of logistics is integrated, data-driven, and responsive. With Freightos Enterprise, that future is here today.

Freight forwarders and enterprise shippers looking to learn more about Freightos Enterprise click here for additional information or book a demo here.

Weekly highlights

Ocean rates – Freightos Baltic Index

• Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 1% to $2,328/FEU.     
• Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 2% to $3,395/FEU. 
• Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) stayed level at $2,337/FEU. 
• Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) increased 5% to $3,082/FEU. 

Air rates – Freightos Air index

• China – N. America weekly prices increased 1% to $5.58/kg.
• China – N. Europe weekly prices fell 1% to $3.71/kg.
• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices fell 5% to $2.01/kg.

Analysis

With a minimum 145% tariff on all goods from China, many US importers are canceling orders and pausing shipments in hopes that direct negotiations – which have not officially begun yet –  between the two countries will result in deescalation and lower tariffs soon. 

In the meantime, reports on the drop in China-US ocean freight demand range from around 30% to more than 50% in the last few weeks. In response to falling volumes, carriers are blanking a significant share of China – N. America sailings and suspending services, with estimates that 28% of transpacific capacity will be removed to the West Coast for the coming weeks and 42% to the East Coast.  

Many China-reliant US importers may be well positioned to completely pause shipments from China – at least for a few weeks – because of inventory surpluses built up over the last few months via frontloading ahead of the expected tariffs.  If tariffs are not lowered within that window, US consumers could start seeing inventory shortages for some types of goods – especially items like toys, baby products and sporting goods, the majority of which are manufactured in China – and significant price increases as importers are forced to face very steep duties. 

That the ocean capacity reductions may be smaller than the drop in China – US ocean freight demand may reflect the recent volume increase out of other Far East countries whose major ports are often called on China – N. America container service loops.  Many shippers on these lanes are pulling forward volumes before the 90-day pause on US reciprocal tariffs for these countries expires in July, even as the White House seeks to streamline negotiations with many of these countries aimed at removing or reducing these tariffs before the deadline.

Some forwarders report that this increase in transpacific demand out of South East Asia – with some estimates putting bookings from SEA to the US up 20% in the last few weeks – is to some extent offsetting their drop in freight demand out of China. Carriers may shift some of the blanked China – US capacity to these lanes to meet that demand, though too much of a volume uptick could result in congestion, delays, and possible equipment shortages as volumes rapidly shift away from China. 

In terms of container rates, the rash of blank sailings should stabilize prices out of China moving forward even if volumes fall, though lane-level transpacific prices surprisingly fell only slightly from earlier in the month, even during the period before many sailings were blanked.  

Freightos Terminal data on the port-pair level, however, shows that on some lanes rates from China and those from some countries currently within the 90-day tariff pause have diverged.

While prices to Long Beach from both Shanghai and Vietnam’s Saigon Port increased more than 40% between the time of the reciprocal tariff announcement on April 2nd and their start date on April 9th, since then Shanghai – Long Beach rates have fallen more than 30% while prices out of Saigon have remained at their elevated level.

This effect has been much less apparent for air cargo. Tariff exemptions for electronics and the last chance for China e-commerce exports to enter the US via the de minimis exemption are combining to keep rates level and elevated, with Freightos Air Index China-US prices at $5.58/kg last week. The May 2nd suspension of de minimis eligibility for Chinese goods, though, is expected to have a dramatic effect on China – US air cargo volumes and rates. 

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Freightos Enterprise – our comprehensive solution designed specifically for large enterprises that import and export, who need to bring control, visibility, and efficiency to their global logistics operations.

The Power of Integration: One Solution, Three Powerful Modules

Freightos Enterprise unifies three critical components of the freight management lifecycle into a single, integrated solution:

Freightos Terminal – Market Intelligence & Benchmarking

Terminal provides you with unprecedented visibility into freight rates, featuring powerful benchmarking capabilities. Now featuring both spot and contract rate benchmarking, Terminal helps you:

• Real-time rate benchmarking: Compare your contracted rates against current market rates across specific lanes, equipment types, and service levels
• Market trend analysis: Identify emerging patterns in pricing, capacity, and transit times before they impact your operations
• Scenario planning tools: Model the impact of potential disruptions or market shifts on your supply chain costs and performance
• Customizable dashboards: Configure your view to focus on the metrics and lanes that matter most to your business

Terminal processes over 1.2 billion rate data points monthly to provide the most comprehensive view of the market, helping you identify savings opportunities and make data-driven decisions.

Key Features:

• Both spot and contract rate benchmarking
• Air and ocean freight coverage
• Lane-specific insights
• Customizable analytics dashboards
• Historical trend analysis
• Proactive alerts for rate changes

Freightos Procure – End-to-End Tender Management

Procure (formerly Shipsta by Freightos) revolutionizes how enterprises manage tenders and contracts. It creates a single source of truth for your rate management, automating RFQs and streamlining the entire procurement process.

Procure delivers:

• Automated RFQ management: Standardize your bid process, collect responses in a structured format, and eliminate manual consolidation work
• Scenario modeling: Compare different award scenarios to optimize your carrier mix based on cost, capacity, service levels, and sustainability metrics
• Contract management: Maintain a digital repository of all carrier agreements with automated alerts for expirations and renewals
• Supplier performance tracking: Monitor carrier compliance with contracted rates and service levels to inform future procurement decisions
• Collaborative workflows: Enable stakeholders across your organization to participate in the procurement process with role-based permissions

Procure supports both strategic (annual or bi-annual) and tactical (mini-bid) procurement events, giving you the flexibility to adapt your approach based on market conditions and business needs.

Key Features:

• Automated RFQ creation and distribution
• Standardized bid collection and comparison
• Scenario modeling and optimization
• Contract lifecycle management
• Supplier performance analytics
• Mini-bid capabilities for tactical sourcing

Freightos Rate, Book & Manage – Operational Excellence

Rate, Book & Manage (formerly Enterprise Shipper) takes you from procurement to execution seamlessly. It handles everything from rating and booking to shipment management, invoice auditing, and beyond.

This comprehensive operational solution provides:

• Multi-carrier rate management: Access all your negotiated rates in one place for instant comparison and optimal routing decisions
• Automated booking: Create bookings directly with carriers and forwarders without rekeying information or switching systems
• Shipment visibility: Track your freight across all modes and providers with proactive alerts for exceptions
• Document management: Centralize and automate the handling of shipping documents, from booking confirmations to proof of delivery
• Invoice auditing and payment: Automatically verify charges against contracted rates and approved shipments to eliminate billing errors
• Analytics and reporting: Gain insights into operational performance with customizable reports and dashboards

Key Features:

• Centralized rate repository
• Direct carrier and forwarder booking
• Real-time shipment tracking
• Automated document management
• Invoice auditing and reconciliation
• Performance analytics and reporting

Breaking Down Silos, Building Up Efficiency

What makes Freightos Enterprise truly transformative is how these modules work together. Instead of managing procurement, benchmarking, and operations across disconnected systems, everything flows through a single provider:

1. Use Terminal to identify lanes where your rates are above market
2. Launch a mini-bid in Procure for those specific lanes
3. Automatically update your rates in Rate, Book & Manage
4. Book and track shipments using your newly optimized rates

This seamless workflow eliminates data silos, reduces manual work, and provides a single source of truth for your entire logistics operation.

Built for Enterprise-Scale Operations

Freightos Enterprise is specifically designed for:

• Large enterprise importers & exporters with $40M+ annual freight spend (or 4% of revenue)
• Global shipping operations across air and ocean freight
• Key industries include Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Chemicals, Food & Beverage, and Fashion & Retail

Seamless Integration with Your Existing Systems

Freightos Enterprise is built to integrate with your existing ERP, TMS, and other critical systems. Our platform can be deployed alongside your current solutions, providing immediate value without disrupting established workflows.

• API-first architecture: Connect directly to your existing systems for seamless data exchange
• Pre-built connectors for major ERP and TMS platforms
• Flexible data import/export options to accommodate your specific needs
• Role-based access control to ensure proper security and permissions

The Power of the Freightos Network

As part of the Freightos (NASDAQ: CRGO) ecosystem, Freightos Enterprise connects you to the world’s largest digital freight network:

• 10,000+ forwarder offices worldwide
• 70+ leading carriers representing over 70% of global air cargo capacity
• 13,000+ importers and exporters
• 1.3 million+ transactions annually

This network effect means better visibility, more competitive rates, and unparalleled connectivity across the global logistics landscape.

Ready to Transform Your Freight Operations?

Schedule a demo today to see how Freightos Enterprise can help you:

• Reduce freight procurement cycle time by up to 75%
• Identify cost-saving opportunities across your carrier network
• Improve operational efficiency and eliminate manual processes
• Enhance visibility and control over your global supply chain

Freight forwarders and enterprise shippers looking to learn more about Freightos Enterprise can click here or request a demo.

Weekly highlights

Ocean rates – Freightos Baltic Index

• Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) fell 5% to $2,343/FEU.     
• Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) fell 5% to $3,467/FEU. 
• Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 1% to $2,340/FEU. 
• Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) increased 7% to $2,935/FEU.

Air rates – Freightos Air index

• China – N. America weekly prices increased 2% to $5.54/kg.
• China – N. Europe weekly prices stayed level at $3.75/kg.
• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices fell 1% to $2.11/kg.

Analysis

President Trump’s exemption of many electronics from reciprocal tariffs – including from the 145% minimum levy on all Chinese exports – has not slowed the steep drop in China-US container trade that started on April 9th. 

Some US-bound vessels are reportedly departing China only half full as many shippers cancel orders that have now more than doubled in cost. In response, carriers are blanking sailings at the rapid rate reminiscent of the start of the pandemic when demand collapsed for several months.

Inventories that importers built up from frontloading over the last few months will allow many shippers to wait out the current tariff hike on Chinese goods for several months, while spiking demand for bonded US warehouses also reflects this wait and see approach. Very recent statements from the president and Treasury Secretary to the effect that negotiations, de-escalation, and a significant lowering of tariffs on China could be coming soon may be encouraging for shippers currently in a holding pattern.  

That carriers are blanking few Asia – Europe sailings despite the record capacity scheduled on this lane suggests that demand is increasing to Europe, with speculation that some orders canceled by US shippers are being diverted to the European market.

The European Commission, concerned with a potential flood of Chinese goods, has started monitoring import levels closely. A sharp increase in container traffic to Europe could also exacerbate the current port congestion at several European hubs. Alternative export markets for China, like India, are also anticipating an increase in finished Chinese goods if China is forced to diversify away from the US.

China’s decision to retaliate US tariffs – which has meant a drop in US exports as well – sets it apart from nearly all other countries opting to negotiate with the US instead. In addition to seeking commitments to lower barriers to and buy more US exports, the US may also ask partners to reduce their trade with China – an element China is warning these countries against and threatening retaliation. 

Though the tariff roll out on China has put China – US ocean demand on pause, the 90-day reprieve on all other reciprocal tariffs means that many shippers on other lanes will continue to frontload ahead of the July deadline in case negotiations fail. Carriers on these lanes may be expecting an early – and possibly short – peak season as a result, with Peak Season Surcharges of $2,000/FEU announced for May, and Maersk’s Asia – US PSS excluding shipments from China.  

Though country-to-country level data shows rates to the US have increased slightly from origins like Vietnam since the tariff pause, prices from China – despite reports of a sharp drop in demand – have surprisingly not collapsed. On the overall lane level FBX Asia – N. America rates eased only slightly last week.  The significant upcoming transpacific blanked sailings will aim to prevent a sharp rate slide despite falling volumes. Asia – Mediterranean prices increased 7% to about $3,000/FEU last week, and may reflect some diverted volumes and increased demand on this lane. 

Frontloading to date, China tariffs, and the possible introduction of more tariffs in July will likely mean a drop in US container import volumes for H2. The WTO projects the trade war in its current form will cause global trade in goods to contract by as much as 1.5% and US imports to fall by 10% or more – with import strength so far this year meaning most of that drop will come in the second half of the year. A dramatic de-escalation and lowering of tariffs would minimize these impacts, though volumes already pulled forward may nonetheless mean a somewhat slower H2 than normal. 

Finally for ocean freight, the USTR released a revised port call fee proposal targeting Chinese ship building. 

The scaled-back though still significant fees would go into effect in October, apply only to Chinese carriers or China-made vessels, and be assigned per call to the US instead of per port call. This version is also subject to change, with a hearing scheduled for May, but its current iteration would not lead to the significant port call omissions and congestion that many feared would result from the original per port call proposal.

There were more signs this week that the looming May 2nd cancellation of US de minimis eligibility for Chinese imports will have a significant impact on the air cargo market. 

UPS and FedEx are applying surcharges to China-US parcels for the rest of the month, possibly reflecting a last-minute surge in demand ahead of the expiry, and Hong Kong Post announced it will no longer handle US-bound parcels in protest to the tariffs. DHL has suspended service for imports above the $800 but below $2,500 in value which since April 5th have required a formal entry process, as the sudden rule change has overwhelmed operations.

Temu and Shein informed their US customers that they will increase prices this week due to the US policy changes. Recent increased sales on these platforms may also reflect a last-minute rush by US shoppers before the May deadline, with China-US air cargo rates level at about $5.50/kg since climbing 20% through March.  

The recent wave of tariff announcements has sent shockwaves through America’s small import businesses, creating unprecedented uncertainty in an already volatile global trade environment. These shockwaves continue with new tariffs being added (like the reciprocal tariffs), potential exclusions, and then delays. For now, this has left small businesses shocked…and confused. Fresh data from a comprehensive survey of some importers, mostly based in the US, who use the Freightos Marketplace for imports reveals the depth of concern and the tangible impacts these policy shifts are having on the ground.

The data below relies primarily on a survey conducted in the days before the 90 day freeze on tariffs across approximately 200 small business importers who are users of the Freightos Marketplace. 

Measuring the Alarm

The numbers tell a compelling story. 

Respondents rated their concern at an average of 8.9 out of 10, with 62% selecting the maximum level of 10. This extraordinary level of anxiety reflects not just the financial implications, but also the policy uncertainty—51% of importers admitted they couldn’t predict the administration’s next moves on tariffs.

This isn’t just emotion – the uncertainty has translated directly into operational decisions. One-third of respondents (33%) paused shipments entirely, while 29% are exploring alternative sourcing options outside of affected regions. But with so many swings and shifts, another 29% are in wait-and-see mode, hoping for clarification before making significant changes.

Quantifying the Import Impact

Importers believe the potential impact on freight volumes to be substantial, with 54% of importers anticipating « serious to significant » reductions in their import activity. As per Economics101, reduced demand is already doing its part. This mirrors what we’re seeing in real-time ocean freight rates from Freightos Terminal, where container rates from China to Long Beach have dropped 16% since the reciprocal tariffs went into effect on April 9th.

Interestingly, while rates from China have declined, prices from Taiwan and Vietnam have remained elevated—likely reflecting importers’ rapid pivot to alternative sourcing markets.

Cash Flow Crunch

Cash flow is always top of mind for small business, especially importers who have to front payments for their cost of goods. Perhaps most concerning of the ramifications of the tariffs are the immediate liquidity challenges facing small businesses. One respondent added that he faced $46,000 in tariffs on a single container—a significant sum for a small business. 

This business owner was not the only concerned about cash flow. As a matter of fact, multiple surveyed businesses were considering full market exits.

« If these tariffs remain in place, it will literally destroy my small business, » reported one respondent. « I cannot raise my prices enough and I cannot have my goods made in America at a reasonable price. »

Adaptive Strategies Emerging

Though the sentiment is primarily negative, some businesses are demonstrating adaptability. Creative solutions include redirecting inventory to holding warehouses, separating shipping costs from production costs on invoices to pass on costs to buyers, and accelerating shipments to beat deadline implementation.

A small minority (approximately 3%) even see opportunity in the chaos, positioning themselves as potential intermediaries between affected markets.

The Trade Landscape Ahead

The administration’s subsequent 90-day tariff freeze and electronics exemptions have provided temporary relief, but the underlying uncertainty remains. Additional proposed measures, including USTR port call fees targeting Chinese-made vessels, will likely be revised but still loom on the horizon as part of a comprehensive Maritime Action Plan requested by the president.

For air cargo, the May 3rd US de minimis cancellation for Chinese imports appears to be affecting e-commerce volume from platforms like Shein and Temu, though Freightos Air Index rates remain elevated at approximately $5.50/kg.

As one resilient importer noted, « Although we accelerated a few shipments before the stipulated timeline…the show must go on to combat with the market. » 

For America’s small importers, that show now includes navigating unprecedented tariff complexity while fighting to maintain viable business models in an increasingly unpredictable trade environment.

Weekly highlights

Ocean rates – Freightos Baltic Index

• Asia-US West Coast prices (FBX01 Weekly) increased 10% to $2,465/FEU.     
• Asia-US East Coast prices (FBX03 Weekly) increased 3% to $3,647/FEU. 
• Asia-N. Europe prices (FBX11 Weekly) fell 1% to $2,365/FEU. 
• Asia-Mediterranean prices (FBX13 Weekly) fell 5% to $2,751/FEU. 

Air rates – Freightos Air index

• China – N. America weekly prices fell 1% to $5.43/kg.
• China – N. Europe weekly prices fell 1% to $3.75/kg.
• N. Europe – N. America weekly prices fell 5% to $2.13/kg.

Analysis

It’s been another headspining week in Trump’s second trade war replete with more escalations, u-turns and confusion and uncertainty for shippers.

The president’s unprecedented reciprocal tariffs on about 60 US trading partners announced on April 2nd went into effect on the 9th, only to be paused for three months a day later. China – which chose to retaliate against the reciprocal tariffs – was excluded from this 90-day pause as a flurry of retaliations and counter retaliations ended with both countries imposing a minimum of 125% tariffs on each other. 

Trump further exempted electronics – including smartphones, computers and semiconductors – from all reciprocal tariffs late last week for an unspecified period of time. This carve out includes these types of goods from China, though the president’s 20% tariffs imposed on China earlier in the year as well as any from previous years would still apply. 

To start the month the president initiated a trade investigation into semiconductors – and the many electronics that contain them – which could mean the electronics exemption will be short lived and replaced by a separate, global, sectoral tariff in the coming weeks, with an investigation into pharmaceutical trade also underway. 

As the 90-day pause was limited to the reciprocal tariffs, it kept the 10% global tariff in place and other tariffs like the 25% levy on Canada and Mexico and 25% tariffs on vehicle imports in effect as well. Trump stated though, that he is considering a short-term exemption for vehicle imports to give companies time to shift operations to the US. 

Many countries are already pushing to negotiate with the US during this three month reprieve though no settlements have been announced yet and the EU, for example, reports that talks have not been productive. Trump has called on China to come to the negotiating table as well. With so much apparently subject to change and therefore still up in the air, importers are very hesitant to make any drastic changes to their supply chains just yet.

For freight, last week’s reciprocal tariff roll out resulted in reports of a widespread drop in container bookings out of Asia. The 90-day pause on those tariffs alongside the escalation of US trade hostilities with China however, mean that while shipments out of China remain paused, many of those sourcing from other Asian countries have already started increasing their orders again in an effort to get ahead of possible tariff resumptions in July. 

With a minimum of 125% tariffs on all goods out of China remaining in place, there are reports of an extreme drop in container export bookings out of China as shippers wait and see what will happen next, with reports of an increase of blanked sailings on this lane as demand slumps. 

Many US importers on this lane had been frontloading goods since the November election in anticipation of tariff hikes. This inventory build up should enable many shippers to hit pause for a while and see where negotiations might lead before deciding their next moves – shifting to other sourcing options or resuming shipments from China and facing higher costs. 

For shippers on other lanes, the 90-day reprieve means another window to pull forward goods ahead of possible tariff increases, with reports that frontloading is already underway. This new opportunity for frontloading will likely mean some increased demand for ocean freight on these lanes in the near term, followed by lower demand (and rates) after the deadline passes – another indication that the typical peak season months will be subdued due to demand pulled forward since late last year. 

The near term need to blank sailings out of China and possibly increase services from other origins in Asia may prove challenging for ocean carriers and cause delays for shippers, with empty containers concentrated in China likely to pose a challenge too. Transatlantic surcharges announced for May could also point to carrier expectations of frontloading ahead of the July deadline.

The overall Asia – N. America lane-level container rates increased somewhat last week, reflecting the start of the month GRIs, though daily rates so far this week have reversed much of those modest gains. But the likely pull back in demand out of China and increase in demand from other Asian origins may be reflected in diverging rates on the port-pair level. 

Freightos Terminal data shows that container rates from China, Taiwan and Vietnam to the Long Beach all climbed sharply following the April 2nd tariff announcements – possibly reflecting the rush to load goods by April 9th when the reciprocal tariffs went into effect. But while rates from Shanghai have dropped 16% since tariffs went into effect, prices from Taiwan and Vietnam have stayed elevated. 

In other trade war-related news for ocean freight, the USTR’s proposed port call fees targeting Chinese-made vessels will likely be revised to a less far-reaching version and may not be rolled out for several months, as this measure will be part of the more comprehensive Maritime Action Plan that the president last week requested that federal agencies deliver within seven months.

For air cargo, the looming May 3rd US de minimis cancellation for all Chinese imports may already be resulting in a slow down of e-commerce imports from Chinese platforms like Shein and Temu. Freightos Air Index China – US rates nonetheless remained elevated at close to $5.50/kg last week. The electronics and pharmaceuticals exemptions from reciprocal tariffs, as well as the approaching May 3rd roll out for automotive parts tariffs, could drive some short term increase in air cargo demand for these types of goods, though so far these factors have not been reflected in rate increases.