Trending on JOC. com
Turn to www. joc. com for the latest breaking news, analysis, special projects and events-related information.
Managing Editor: Benjamin Meyer 916.716.6272, benjamin. meyer @ spglobal. com
WEBCASTS joc. com / webcasts
Global Trade, Geopolitics and the Impact on Refrigerated Shipping: A TPM Cold Chain Webcast
August 20, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT
US refrigerated( reefer) container volumes have shrunk this year, but the disruption hasn’ t let up. Early peak seasons on outbound trades from Asia, coupled with reduced capacity from higher port congestion and tied to the Strait of Hormuz, have sent importers scrambling for space; reefer importers included. US tariffs have taken a toll, pulling down laden reefer imports by 14.2 % in the first quarter. Increased US consumer demand for protein, driven by GLP-1 uptake, has also hampered meat exports, which make up more than half of containerized outbound reefer shipments. Meat exports fell 7 % year over year in the third quarter, while total US reefer exports dropped 8.7 % in the same period. https:// bit. ly / 4pzfBH3
RESOURCES
Top 100 US Importers and Exporters https:// bit. ly / 3ZvpUQG
FEATURED CONTENT
European Shipping and Trade Outlook: The Trans-Atlantic
September 10, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT
Persistent port congestion in North European ports has held trans-Atlantic schedule reliability below 45 % all year. The delays are limiting available vessel capacity and causing carriers to skip ports or blank sailings, with June on-time performance to the US East Coast falling to 38 % from North Europe and to 30 % out of the Mediterranean. Strong European import volume from Asia is keeping yards under pressure, with Rotterdam and Antwerp regularly exceeding the critical level of 90 %, delaying the loading of US-bound boxes and leading to localized equipment shortages. Demand on the trans-Atlantic has begun to slow into the summer, with rates easing after climbing steadily since March. As shippers look ahead to the last quarter and beyond, what can they expect on the trans-Atlantic? If demand weakens further, will carriers start ramping up blank sailings? And what will that mean for agreed allocations? https:// bit. ly / 4vM6J2v
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
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, + 44.796.621.0030, 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
ACHPF / Shutterstock. com
Airlines put Middle East return on hold as hostilities resume
The capacity constraints facing air cargo shippers on Asia – Europe routes will continue well into October as a host of global airlines extend their suspension of flights to the Persian Gulf following the collapse of the ceasefire between the US and Iran. https:// bit. ly / 4pDOJ9c
SAL / Harren Group
MPV capacity easing may only offer temporary relief to shippers
Reduced cargo volumes for breakbulk have taken the pressure off chartering lead times for multipurpose ships, although this could prove to be a temporary fillip, according to experts and the latest reading of a capacity indicator. https:// bit. ly / 3TaMNc4
Sales: Cindy Cronin, Executive Director 954.260.6061, cindy. cronin @ spglobal. com
Allyson Marek, Associate Director US Northeast + Florida, Caribbean, 727.337.3010
Kimberly Davis Guerra, Senior Sales Executive US West, Southwest & Gulf + Illinois, Nebraska, Latin America, 832.370.6350
John Knowles, Sales Manager APAC, Australia, EMEA, + 44.777.997.4677
Elaine Nosaka, Senior Sales Executive East Coast, Midwest, Canada + Alaska, 703.447.9555
UPCOMING EVENTS events. joc. com
For Magazine Subscription Customer Service: www. joc. com / help
55 Water St., 39th Floor, New York, N. Y. 10041
Inland Distribution Conference: September 28-30, 2026 | Chicago, Illinois TPM27: February 28-March 3, 2027 | Long Beach, California Breakbulk & Project Cargo Conference: May 3-5, 2027 | New Orleans, Louisiana
Journal of Commerce( USPS 279 – 060), ISSN 1530-7557, August 3, 2026, Volume 27, Issue No. 8. 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.
Eric Johnson, Editorial Director 213.444.9326, eric. johnson @ spglobal. com
Mark Szakonyi, Editorial Director 202.872.1234, mark. szakonyi @ spglobal. com
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 | August 3, 2026 www. joc. com