Ocean freight rates on Asia–Europe trades are rising again after months of downward pressure, but contrasting market indicators and increasing blank sailings suggest the recovery is being driven as much by carrier capacity management as underlying cargo demand. The Asia–Europe…

Airfreight markets are entering the final quarter of 2026 with strengthening demand, sharply rising fuel costs and growing pressure on capacity, although significant differences between trades are creating contrasting conditions for shippers. Global air cargo demand rebounded strongly in September,…

Nearly two-thirds of Far East–Europe container shipping capacity is now operating through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, marking a significant shift away from Cape of Good Hope diversions, although security concerns and changing service rotations mean the return remains…

German dockworkers have accepted a new pay agreement, averting widespread port strikes, but record-low Rhine water levels continue to disrupt inland freight movements, increasing costs and threatening North European supply chains. North European importers have avoided another potential disruption after…

Metro CEO Grant Liddell joined Lloyds Bank’s Markets Matter briefing to examine how geopolitical disruption, changing sourcing strategies and rising transport costs are reshaping global supply chains and why underlying trade remains surprisingly resilient. The Lloyds Bank’s Markets Matter series…

UK importers face an unusually volatile October as falling Asia–Europe freight rates collide with excess scheduled capacity, returning Suez services, short-notice blank sailings and continuing disruption across Asian ports. Ocean carriers are attempting to halt a 12-week decline in Asia–Europe…

Global air cargo demand and rates are strengthening ahead of the traditional peak season, with rising volumes, firm pricing and higher fuel costs creating a more robust market as October begins. The latest TAC Index and WorldACD data point to…

Severe congestion across Asian container ports is tying up millions of TEU of capacity, driving schedule reliability to a four-year low and raising the prospect of disruption continuing well into 2027. Repeated typhoons, strong Asian export demand and congestion spreading…

Air cargo’s traditional summer slowdown has failed to significantly loosen the market, with resilient demand, constrained capacity and renewed growth on key ex-Asia lanes keeping pressure on space and pricing as autumn begins. Global air cargo volumes were 6% higher…

UK haulage is entering a period in which access to the right vehicle, route and transport option could become increasingly important. For shippers, that makes planning and flexibility just as important as the rate agreed for an individual movement. More…

The EU is reducing some sustainability and due-diligence obligations, but that does not necessarily mean businesses will need less supply-chain information. For shippers, the capabilities of their logistics partners could become increasingly important. For years, businesses have been preparing for…

UK businesses remain positive about their prospects in Europe, but customs complexity, compliance costs and uncertainty over future trading arrangements may limit the potential for faster growth. That is the picture emerging from Metro’s latest customer survey, which asked businesses…

Air freight enters the traditional peak-season build-up with a finely balanced market, as capacity reductions and resilient pricing create the potential for rapid tightening when Asian export demand accelerates. The usual late-September surge may still be several weeks away, but…

UK businesses sourcing from India face rising logistics costs before and after production, as more expensive Asian imports combine with tight westbound capacity and strong India–Europe demand. India continues to strengthen its position as a manufacturing and sourcing alternative for…

Record-low water levels on the Rhine are creating another significant challenge for European supply chains, restricting barge capacity, increasing transport costs and putting additional pressure on already constrained road and rail networks. The Rhine is one of Europe’s most important…

The global airfreight market is becoming increasingly difficult to predict through headline averages. While worldwide volumes remain above last year’s levels, conditions are diverging sharply between individual origins and trade lanes as de-minimis regulation, technology demand, weather disruption and capacity…

US importers face another period of significant trade policy change as the Trump administration expands its use of tariffs across countries, commodities and industries. The immediate challenge is understanding which measures apply and how they interact. The wider issue is…

Metro’s Q3/26 Peak Season Survey suggests businesses are entering the second half of the year with growing confidence, despite ongoing uncertainty across global supply chains. While current shipping volumes remain mixed, the outlook for the next three months is positive….

For years, weather disruption was largely viewed as an operational inconvenience. A storm might delay a vessel, flooding could close a road for a day or two, or high winds might temporarily suspend port operations. That is no longer the…

The pound has been strengthening against the US dollar, improving sterling buying power for many UK businesses purchasing goods and services priced in dollars. For importers, that’s welcome news. A stronger pound can reduce the sterling cost of overseas purchases,…

Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea is facing renewed disruption with 14 Iranian attacks on vessels since June 25th, the breakdown of the US-Iran ceasefire and a Houthi threat to target Saudi-linked shipping in the Bab…