Trending on JOC. com
Turn to www. joc. com for the latest breaking news, analysis, special projects and events-related information.
WEBCASTS joc. com / webcasts
Breakbulk and Project Cargo: Navigating the Chaos Wrought by War in Middle East
On demand, Free
Geopolitical volatility in the Middle East is again reshaping how breakbulk and project cargo moves— by sea and by air— and the stakes for schedule certainty, safety, and cost have rarely been higher. At the end of February, joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran, followed by retaliatory attacks across the Middle East brought sea and air movements of breakbulk and project cargoes to a standstill, creating a fast-moving risk landscape for heavy-lift, outof-gauge, and time-critical shipments. In this timely hourlong webcast, industry specialists will unpack what these developments mean for project forwarders, EPCs, carriers, brokers, and cargo owners moving equipment for energy, infrastructure, mining, and industrial builds. The session will connect the geopolitical headlines to the realities of execution: diversion planning, re-routing mid-transit, port-call and transshipment risks, and sea corridor constraints that can affect charter availability, payload planning, and permissions. The webcast will conclude with an outlook for the second quarter of 2026, highlighting scenarios that could stabilize— or further disrupt— reliability for project cargo corridors linking the Gulf and Europe-Asia and what we can expect to discuss at Breakbulk26 in New Orleans on April 20-22. https:// bit. ly / 3PFGETh
FEATURED CONTENT
Dewar Photography / Shutterstock. com
UP adjusts intermodal pricing to win back volume as truckload rates climb
Union Pacific Railroad( UP) on March 24 adjusted rates for rail-owned boxes used by intermodal marketing companies( IMCs), the second such move in the last five weeks amid a widening gap between the truckload spot market and domestic intermodal rates. https:// bit. ly / 4stzZdn
Trans-Pacific Shipping: The 2026 Outlook
On demand, Free
The seasonal rush or lack of before factories slow or cease production for two-week long China’ s Lunar New Year celebrations will give the trans-Pacific trade a good barometer on just how depressed Asia import volumes will be for the rest of the years. Analysts forecast Asia import growth in 2026 to be in the very low single-digits to flat compared to last year The materialization of any seasonal rush and how carriers respond with capacity will provide a better sense of first-half demand, reflecting restocking for post-holiday sales and demand for spring wares. While bookings for Asia exports to North America have held up, as measured by maritime visibility provider Vizion and data and analytics company Dun & Bradstreet, the forward-looking demand indicators look lackluster. The National Retail Federation( NRF), in its monthly Global Port Tracker, forecasts the first month-over-month gain in import volumes( January from December) in six months, but noted that yearover-year import volumes would remain negative compared to quite strong import volumes early in 2025 as retailers frontloaded merchandise due to the expectation of higher tariffs. The webcast will provide an outlook on volume demand, ocean reliability and port performance, and annual trans-Pacific service contract negotiations. https:// bit. ly / 4qEIPnY
Port of Virginia
Virginia’ s deeper harbor could allow higher usage on ULCVs
The Port of Virginia has completed a dredging project that brings Norfolk Harbor to a 55-foot depth, making it the deepest port on the US East Coast and allowing ocean carriers to better utilize the ultra-large container vessels increasingly deployed on the coast’ s long-haul services. https:// bit. ly / 4lZ4Hc8
Executive Editor: Mark Szakonyi 202.872.1234, mark. szakonyi @ spglobal. com
Managing Editor: Benjamin Meyer 916.716.6272, benjamin. meyer @ spglobal. com
Managing Editor: Kevin Saville, 347.308.3743, kevin. saville2 @ spglobal. com
Senior Editors: William B. Cassidy Trucking and Domestic Transportation 202.872.1228, bill. cassidy @ spglobal. com
Bill Mongelluzzo, West Coast 562.428.5999, bill. mongelluzzo @ spglobal. com
Eric Johnson, Technology 213.444.9326, eric. johnson @ spglobal. com
Janet Nodar, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift 251.408.2090, janet. nodar @ spglobal. com
Greg Knowler, Europe + 44.797.679.8770, greg. knowler @ spglobal. com
Ari Ashe, Southeast Ports, Intermodal Rail 202.548.7895, ari. ashe @ spglobal. com
Michael Angell, Northeast ports, 646.505.4712, michael. angell @ spglobal. com
Carly Fields, Associate Editor, + 44( 0) 7966 210030, carly. fields @ spglobal. com
Senior Research Analyst, Project and Breakbulk Cargo: Susan Oatway, FICS, + 44.7930.411659 susan. oatway @ spglobal. com
Data Hub Manager: Marcin Lejk, + 44.58.741.6270, marcin. lejk @ spglobal. com
Shipper Engagement Manager: Annalee Witte, 317.941.8130, annalee. witte @ spglobal. com
Shipper Engagement Manager, Breakbulk: Diana Hamm, 832.499.7368, diana. hamm @ spglobal. com
Senior Editor, Special Projects: Alessandra Gregory Barrett, 860.248.5238, alessandra. barrett @ spglobal. com
Senior Associate Editor, Special Projects: Ariane Herrera, 215.789.7478, ariane. Herrera @ spglobal. com
Special Projects Coordinator: Amanda Hunter, 212.205.1226, amanda. hunter @ spglobal. com
Senior Designer: Sue Abt, sue. abt @ spglobal. com
Associate Production Editor: Ivan Klos, ivan. klos @ spglobal. com
Designer: Hannah Kidd, + 44 203 253 2134, hannah. kidd @ spglobal. com
Sales: Cindy Cronin, Executive Director 954.260.6061, cindy. cronin @ spglobal. com
Jean Gibbons, Senior Sales Executive West Coast, FL, GA sales, 706.469.7160
Kimberly Davis Guerra, Senior Sales Executive Midwest, Gulf, Latin America sales, 832.370.6350
John Knowles, Sales Manager APAC, EMEA, AU sales, + 44.777.997.4677
Allyson Marek, Senior Sales Executive Northeast sales, 727.337.3010
Elaine Nosaka, Senior Sales Executive VA, NC, SC, Canada sales, 703.447.9555
UPCOMING EVENTS events. joc. com
Breakbulk & Project Cargo Conference: April 20-22, 2026 | New Orleans, Louisiana Inland Distribution Conference: September 28-30, 2026 | Chicago, Illinois TPM27: Feb. 28-March 3, 2027 | Long Beach, California
Journal of Commerce( USPS 279 – 060), ISSN 1530-7557, April 6, 2026, Volume 27, Issue No. 4. Journal of Commerce is published monthly( 12 issues a year) by JOC Group Inc., 55 Water St., 39th Floor, New York, N. Y. 10041. Subscription price: $ 595 a year. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N. Y., and additional mailing offices. © All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be copied or reprinted without written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Journal of Commerce, Subscription Services Department, 55 Water St., 39th Floor, New York, N. Y. 10041.
For Magazine Subscription Customer Service: www. joc. com / help 55 Water St., 39th Floor, New York, N. Y. 10041
Peter Tirschwell, Vice President- Shipping Intellience, S & P Global
Chris Brooks, Executive Director- Shipping Intelligence, S & P Global
Carmen Verenna, Head of Operations
© 2026 Journal of Commerce— All Rights Reserved For more information, visit our website, www. joc. com.
8 Journal of Commerce | April 6, 2026 www. joc. com