U.S. tariffs and global turmoil drive up export logistics costs – Datamar News | 03/08/26

Global ocean freight markets are facing higher costs, tighter vessel availability, and greater uncertainty as a result of the combined impact of the war in the Middle East, the reorganization of the global shipping fleet following the United States’ additional 25% tariff on Brazilian products, and capacity management strategies adopted by shipping lines. According to international logistics consultancies, these factors continue to keep logistics costs elevated despite a slight decline in global freight indexes, affecting commodities such as soybeans, corn, coffee, sugar, cotton, and meat, all of which depend on maritime transport to reach key consumer markets. Industry specialists expect freight pressure to remain high between August and December. Jackson Campos noted that freight rates from China increased from approximately US$1,000 per container in January to US$6,000 in July, at times approaching US$8,000, representing an increase of more than 500% in seven months. Because China’s trade lanes handle the world’s largest container flows, rising freight rates encourage shipping companies to reallocate vessels to these more profitable routes, reducing available capacity in other regions. In Brazil, the main challenge is not higher freight prices but limited vessel space, as demand has exceeded available capacity. Campos stated that this shortage is driven primarily by strong demand for shipments to the United States rather than by Brazilian exporters attempting to advance shipments before the new tariffs took effect. Meanwhile, Drewry’s World Container Index fell 3% on July 30 to US$4,255 per 40-foot container, although freight rates remain historically high. Drewry attributed the decline to weaker demand on some trade lanes and to carriers’ continued use of blank sailings to support freight rates, while emphasizing that the market remains influenced by the new U.S. tariffs, the conflict in the Middle East, emergency fuel surcharges scheduled for August, and ongoing port congestion. According to Campos, oil prices now play a smaller role in freight pricing than at the beginning of the crisis, with route reorganization and vessel availability becoming the main market drivers. As global demand is expected to strengthen through November due to imports for Black Friday and the Christmas season, additional pressure on logistics costs is anticipated. Although Brazil has temporarily benefited from exporting more cargo than available vessel capacity can accommodate—bringing additional foreign currency into the country and supporting its trade balance—industry sources warn that as long as geopolitical uncertainty and the redistribution of the global fleet continue, commodity exporters will face higher logistics costs, tighter vessel space, and greater challenges in serving major international markets. Link to Article