Summary
The June 26 brief prioritizes public international freight updates published or refreshed on the previous Asia/Shanghai calendar day. In ocean freight, Drewry's World Container Index rose again as trans-Pacific demand and tight space pushed procurement costs higher; the World Shipping Council's annual report also showed container losses at sea increased in 2025, putting cargo packing, lashing and declaration quality back in focus. In the U.S. market, Long Beach's May import surge shows shippers are still front-loading cargo to manage tariff, fuel and geopolitical uncertainty, while customs requirements are becoming stricter. In air and inland freight, EASA continues to maintain its Middle East and Persian Gulf conflict-zone advisory, and LX Pantos has expanded a U.S. autonomous trucking lane into a round-trip operation, showing the continued search for more stable, lower-empty-mile transport combinations.
Key Updates
Select a headline to expand the full update.
Drewry's June 25 World Container Index showed the composite index rising 5% week on week to $4,166 per 40ft container, its highest level since September 2024, supported mainly by higher trans-Pacific rates. For exporters, this means that even if individual pressures such as Red Sea disruption, port congestion or peak-season demand fluctuate, carriers may still use space management and July rate actions to keep pricing firm. Booking comparisons should separate base ocean freight, peak-season surcharge, bunker and destination charges rather than relying on one headline rate.
Source: Service Expertise - World Container Index - 25 JunThe World Shipping Council released its Containers Lost at Sea 2026 Update on June 25, estimating that 1,478 containers were lost at sea in 2025 out of about 280 million transported globally, or roughly 0.0005% of container movements. The figure was up from 576 in 2024 and above the recent three-year average, while still within historical variation. Shippers and forwarders should treat accurate weight declarations, dangerous-goods declarations, packaging strength, lashing requirements and seasonal sea conditions as part of the pre-booking risk review, especially for high-value cargo, battery goods and consolidated mixed loads.
Source: World Shipping Council releases Containers Lost at Sea Report: 2026 UpdateFreightWaves reported on June 25 that the Port of Long Beach handled 842,030 TEU in May, up 31.7% year on year, with imports rising 40% to 418,851 TEU. The report said importers are pulling cargo forward to manage manufacturer price increases, fuel costs, tariff policy and geopolitical uncertainty. For trans-Pacific exporters, this can raise short-term competition for space, destination appointments and drayage capacity, especially for July and August arrivals that need warehouse and delivery resources locked in earlier.
Source: Uncertainty? Imports surge 40% at busiest U.S. container gatewaySupplyChainBrain reported on June 25 that a U.S. executive order requires importers to provide more detailed information about ownership, business operations and supply chains, while maintaining good standing with CBP. The report also noted tighter scrutiny of product classification, valuation, country of origin and importer-of-record arrangements. For China and Asia export chains, responsibilities among supplier, buyer, IOR, warehouse and customs broker need to be clearer; under-valuation, shell importer structures, origin shifts and incomplete supply-chain records can increase clearance delays and penalty exposure.
Source: Trump Admin Tightens Customs Requirements for ImportersEASA updated Conflict Zone Information Bulletin 2026-03-R13 on June 24, extending the advisory for Middle East and Persian Gulf airspace until July 1, 2026. The affected airspace includes FIRs in Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Although EASA said the regional risk level had decreased from its peak, it also emphasized uncertainty around the ceasefire's durability and the need for continuing operator risk assessments. For air cargo shippers, Gulf hub recovery does not mean transit times are fully normal; rerouting, fuel, security and connection risk can still affect cost and lead time.
Source: Airspace of the Middle East and Persian GulfThe Loadstar reported on June 25 that South Korean 3PL LX Pantos has expanded its U.S. coast-to-coast autonomous trucking lane into a round-trip operation. The route initially moved Hyundai Mobis automotive parts from west to east, and now carries construction materials in the opposite direction to reduce empty mileage. The report said the lane has expanded from about 3,500 km one way to more than 7,000 km round trip, with a target of reducing empty mileage to about 5%. The same logic applies to international freight planning: inland cost, return cargo and node reliability increasingly shape the competitiveness of the full door-to-door quote.
Source: LX Pantos US coast-to-coast self-drive trucking route now a round-tripDH Logistics View
- Today's core signal is that pricing, compliance and safety are all raising uncertainty in cross-border logistics. Drewry's rising index shows that space and peak-season expectations remain tight, while Long Beach import front-loading shows U.S. buyers are still using earlier shipments to hedge policy and cost risk.
- Safety is no longer only a carrier or terminal issue. WSC's container-loss report reminds shippers that weight, packaging, lashing and dangerous-goods data affect whether cargo is accepted, rolled, and how responsibility is assessed after an incident.
- Tighter U.S. customs enforcement has direct implications for Asian export chains. If supplier, buyer, importer of record, warehouse and customs broker data do not match, clearance, inspections, penalties and delivery schedules can all be affected.
- Air and inland transport are also rebalancing risk. EASA's advisory means Gulf routings still need buffer for detours and connections, while LX Pantos' round-trip trucking lane highlights the rising value of inland cost control and stability.
Planning Notes
- For trans-Pacific and Asia export cargo, review space, quote validity, PSS/GRI and destination charges before early July to avoid rate expiry as indices continue to rise.
- For high-value, heavy, machinery or lithium-battery cargo, verify VGM, packing photos, dangerous-goods data, MSDS, UN numbers and stuffing plans before booking.
- For U.S. import programs, remap responsibilities among IOR, customs broker, overseas warehouse and final buyer, ensuring ownership, routing, valuation, origin and HS code evidence is consistent.
- For cargo using the Long Beach/Los Angeles gateway, secure terminal appointments, drayage, rail, warehouse and delivery windows early, with extra buffer for a July-August early peak.
- For air cargo transiting the Middle East or Gulf hubs, request direct-flight, Europe-transit and sea-air alternatives, and define fuel, security, rerouting and delay responsibility in the quote.
- For long-haul U.S. inland delivery, evaluate one-way price together with round-trip load matching to reduce total cost through more stable backhaul options.
- For new quotes this week, itemize ocean freight, airfreight, customs compliance cost, insurance, inspection and inland delivery so customers can see where the risk is coming from.
Sources
View sources (6)
- Service Expertise - World Container Index - 25 JunDrewry · 2026-06-25
- World Shipping Council releases Containers Lost at Sea Report: 2026 UpdateWorld Shipping Council · 2026-06-25
- Uncertainty? Imports surge 40% at busiest U.S. container gatewayFreightWaves · 2026-06-25
- Trump Admin Tightens Customs Requirements for ImportersSupplyChainBrain · 2026-06-25
- Airspace of the Middle East and Persian GulfEASA · 2026-06-24
- LX Pantos US coast-to-coast self-drive trucking route now a round-tripThe Loadstar · 2026-06-25