Container Freight Futures EOD Brief – 02 Jan One Step Forward, Two Steps Back I'd like to start the new year by taking my eyes off the water for a brief…

𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 & 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔–𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟒 The current geopolitical landscape is significantly influencing the Handysize bulk carrier market through shift...

According to the March 2026 Asia Pacific freight report by Dimerco, the air freight market remained soft before and during the Chinese New Year period compared with previous years, with freight rates trending on the lower side.

#AirCargo #FreightMarket #SupplyChain The freighter capacity crunch is real. In this episode of Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and Neel Jones Shah break down UPS retiring its MD-11 fleet, why the aircraft backlog won't normalise until the 2030s, and what it means for air cargo rates. Plus: Dimerco's Kathy Liu on Chinese New Year from Shanghai, exclusive rate analysis from TAC Index's Neil Wilson, and how de minimis policy changes are reshaping e-commerce flows out of China - with North America down 33% and Europe up 22%. We also cover Maersk dumping its 767s for 777s on trans-Pacific, and what the new US-India trade deal could mean for air freight demand. Featuring: • Mike King, Host & Executive Producer • Neel Jones Shah, Co-Host (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) • Kathy Liu, VP Global Sales & Marketing, Dimerco Express Group • Neil Wilson, Editor, TAC Index Air Cargo Unpacked is a monthly Freight Buyers' Club production, brought to you by OntegosCloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist. https://www.ontegos.cloud/ Subscribe for monthly air freight market analysis. #AirCargoUnpacked #FreightBuyersClub #Logistics #AirFreight #Shipping #CargoCapacity #DeMinimis #ChineseNewYear #TACIndex #Ecommerce #globaltrade 00:00 Welcome to Air Cargo Unpacked 01:00 UPS Retires MD-11 Fleet 02:30 10% of Widebody Freighter Capacity at Risk 04:30 Aircraft Backlog Hits 17,000 06:00 Conversion Costs Soaring: $80m for a 777 08:00 Chinese New Year: Kathy Liu from Shanghai 10:00 China Plus One: Southeast Asia Booming 12:00 Neel on CNY: Why This Year Is Different 15:30 TAC Index Rate Analysis with Neil Wilson 17:00 Shanghai Rates Up 9% Year on Year 18:00 Spot vs Contract Rates Explained 21:00 De Minimis: US Down 33%, Europe Up 22% 23:00 E-Commerce Is Like a Raging River 24:30 Maersk Sells 767 Freighters to Amazon 27:00 US-India Trade Deal: Stability Returns

#AirCargo #FreightMarket #SupplyChain Air cargo market analysis for 2026: Chinese New Year impact, MD-11 freighter groundings, and how Shein & Temu are reshaping global air freight. This episode features exclusive data from the Baltic Exchange Air Freight Index, powered by TAC Index, revealing tight capacity and potential rate pressure ahead of peak season. In this launch episode of Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and Neel Jones Shah (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) break down the forces reshaping air cargo markets with exclusive TAC Index data from Neil Wilson and IATA's 2026 outlook from Brendan Sullivan, Global Head of Cargo. KEY TOPICS COVERED: 🌍 GEOPOLITICAL CHAOS & AIR CARGO RESILIENCE Why 2026 started with unprecedented uncertainty - from Greenland tensions to escalating trade wars - yet China posted a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus. We explore which types of chaos benefit air freight and which threaten growth. 🧧 CHINESE NEW YEAR 2026 TIMING IMPACT CNY falls 2.5 weeks later than 2025, reshaping demand patterns. What forwarders, carriers, and shippers should expect in the lead-up, during the shutdown, and in the restart period. Could tight capacity create a CNY mini-peak? 📦 E-COMMERCE AFTER DE MINIMIS How Shein and Temu adapted after the US ended the $800 exemption. Where e-commerce volumes are flowing now (South America, Europe, Africa) and why e-commerce "finds its way like a river" regardless of barriers. ✈️ MD-11 FREIGHTER CRISIS 60 aircraft grounded after fatal crash – representing a significant 8-10% share of the global wide-body freighter fleet. How integrators are scrambling for 767 and 747 replacement capacity and what this means for market tightness. 📊 EXCLUSIVE TAC INDEX MARKET DATA Neil Wilson, Editor of TAC Index, breaks down: • Peak season 2025 performance vs 2023-2024 • Capacity constraints from freighter shortages • Taiwan-Europe and Taiwan-US strength (semiconductor boom) • Intra-Asia rates up 23% year-on-year • Why the market remains tight despite recent rate softness 🎯 IATA'S 2026 FORECAST Brendan Sullivan, IATA's Global Head of Cargo, identifies: Three Biggest Headwinds: • Capacity constraints (aircraft backlog at 11x annual deliveries) • Regulatory complexity and security friction • Economic uncertainty and trade volatility Three Biggest Opportunities: • Digitalization (IATA's One Record standard) • E-commerce growth (80%+ of cross-border shipments by air) • Agility as competitive advantage in fragmented trade environment ⚠️ THE CAPACITY CRUNCH REALITY Why tight capacity and limited flexibility for shippers will define 2026. How the aircraft backlog, conversion feedstock shortages, and MD-11 groundings are constraining supply. This is monthly market intelligence for freight buyers, logistics managers, procurement professionals, and anyone moving cargo by air. FEATURED GUESTS: • Neel Jones Shah - Air cargo veteran (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) • Neil Wilson - Editor, TAC Index • Brendan Sullivan - Global Head of Cargo, IATA Exclusive data from the Baltic Exchange Air Freight Index, powered by TAC Index. LINKS: 🔗 TAC Index: https://www.tacindex.com 🔗 Ontegos Cloud: https://www.ontegos.cloud/ 🔗 Subscribe to Air Cargo Unpacked: [your subscription link] Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud - the freight forwarder profitability specialist. #AirFreight #ChineseNewYear #Ecommerce #IATA #TACIndex #FreightBuyers #CargoMarket #GlobalTrade #Semiconductors #FreightForwarding #Aviation #LogisticsNews #SupplyChainManagement #CargoIntelligence #AirCargoNews Time stamps 00:00 Introduction & Welcome to Air Cargo Unpacked 00:30 Geopolitical Chaos: Greenland, Venezuela, Iran & the Red Sea 02:00 China's Record $1.2 Trillion Trade Surplus Explained 04:00 E-commerce as a River: Finding Routes Despite Trade Wars 06:00 Does Air Cargo Thrive on Chaos? 08:00 End of De Minimis: Impact on Shein, Temu & E-commerce Volumes 11:00 2026 Vertical Focus: AI, Semiconductors & Taiwan Trade Deal 14:00 TAC Index Exclusive: Peak Season Analysis & Rate Trends 18:00 Taiwan Strength, MD-11 Groundings & Capacity Constraints 21:00 Chinese New Year Outlook: What to Expect in February 25:00 Aircraft Maintenance & The Aging Freighter Fleet 28:00 IATA's Brendan Sullivan: Top Headwinds & Opportunities for 2026

New India–China air routes and steady ocean capacity boost export efficiency as festive shipments peak.

Global supply chains are navigating a complex peak season as volatile tariffs, shifting demand, and capacity constraints disrupt shipping across major trade lanes. Southeast Asia, driven by...

Dimerco’s August report shows major changes in global trade routes, rising freight rates, and new challenges for Indian and Asian exporters.

Mullen Group's strategy emphasizes margin protection and inorganic growth. Read why I maintain a bullish view on MTL:CA stock.