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Midyear Report: Managing Uncertainty in Intermodal Rail
June 05, 2025, 2:00 PM EDT
Intermodal rail volumes began 2025 on strong footing but rising geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions have clouded the outlook for the second half of the year. With ocean carriers increasingly blanking sailings out of China, western US railroads are bracing for a drop in international intermodal volume to inland hubs such as Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, and Memphis. Eastern railroads may also feel some impact on traffic bound for Atlanta and the Ohio Valley. Without a swift return to global trade stability, the ripple effects are likely to spill into domestic intermodal as well. Cross-border volumes with Mexico under the USMCA may provide a modest cushion, but a sharp decline in West Coast demand could lead to a softer peak season and an absence of surcharges for shippers. At the same time, domestic intermodal contract pricing remains stagnant nationwide, with little expectation of movement until truckload spot and contract rates begin to rise. https:// bit. ly / 3H6cFzN
FEATURED CONTENT
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Capacity-demand imbalance to shield truck rates from US import surge
A sooner-than-anticipated influx of US imports from China is already pushing up ocean container spot rates, but those price increases are not expected to reach landbound drayage and truckload markets. https:// bit. ly / 3GZAfyb
Tariffs and Technology: Software’ s Role in Navigating Trade Uncertainty
On demand, Free
Importers and exporters have long relied on platforms to manage the tricky nuances of global trade compliance, but recent trade policy actions between the US and its trading partners have shone a brighter light on this corner of the logistics technology world. So-called global trade management software encompasses a large set of functions, from product classification to duty reduction initiatives. With global trade regulations and tariffs changing seemingly by the day, shippers and their service providers are under intense scrutiny to not just be in compliance but also to find strategies that keep them ahead of their competitive peers. https:// bit. ly / 436V971
RESOURCES
Top 100 US Importers and Exporters https:// bit. ly / 3ZvpUQG itpho / Shutterstock. com
AI continues its advance across truckload fleets, drayage
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence( AI) in applications touching multiple trucking modes continued in May, with fleet software vendor Optimal Dynamics landing a $ 40 million funding round and drayage software vendor PortPro releasing a set of AI agents. https:// bit. ly / 4ktXw9M
Managing Editor: Benjamin Meyer 916.716.6272, benjamin. meyer @ spglobal. com
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Senior Editors: William B. Cassidy Trucking and Domestic Transportation 202.872.1228, bill. cassidy @ spglobal. com
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Ari Ashe, Southeast Ports, Intermodal Rail 202.548.7895, ari. ashe @ spglobal. com
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Journal of Commerce( USPS 279 – 060), ISSN 1530-7557, June 2, 2025, Volume 26, Issue No. 6. 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.
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