US customs tightens the net

🛃 Coming to a checkpoint near you - CBP plots crackdown

Figure of the week

Danish carrier Maersk is embarking on a $9 billion spending spree to purchase 42 newbuild vessels as part of a major fleet expansion. Maersk has managed to stockpile the cash during the surging rates seen in the post-pandemic period.

Quote of the week

“The number of entries that we’re seeing where customs is taking a deeper dive has hugely changed. Whereas five, three years ago we might have seen a handful of those instances in a quarter, now we see a handful of those or more a day. The bar is constantly being moved. The type of information asked for is consistently changing.” Breanna Leininger, who heads U.S. operations at Vancouver-based Pacific Customs Brokers, spells out the kind of enforcement crackdown being seen on the US-Canada border.

Coming to a checkpoint near you - CBP plots crackdown

Many shippers have been noticing that US Customs and Border Protection enforcement has been getting noticeably tougher on shipments coming from Canada into the US. The bad news is that CBP is planning to extend its crackdown far wider. The stricter enforcement is in response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order and is likely to become a major issue on shippers’ radars by early 2027 . Issued in June, the order seeks to clamp down on shippers finding ways around tariffs by undervaluing imports, filing false customs declarations, or avoiding tariffs altogether. Already, following the recent trade spat with Canada, many industry insiders have noticed stricter checks on shipments into the US, with dramatically increased freight screening and penalties along the 49th parallel. One of the most striking changes is the increased number of audits. Some industry insiders say the number seen in a day rivals that previously seen in a whole quarter. Equally, shippers are forced to provide far more complex and complete paper trails. The amount of information required, the degree of supporting documentation, and timeframes for submission frequently change, many shippers claim. US CBP itself has said that it’s on course to increase the number of audits throughout the country this year by 26% . It said that it had collected penalties worth $70.6 million by late July, up 169% from the whole of 2024. And now CBP is asking for feedback on how to make its enforcement even stricter and take that crackdown to a far wider gamut of incoming cargo. Shippers will be able to give feedback until December 1 on proposed new regulations. These include CBP’s plans to potentially require customs entries filed with overseas governments, invoices, packing lists and bills of lading. Shippers may also be required to provide yet more information on the supply chain and provenance of imported goods. CBP is asking them whether documents should be submitted regularly or randomly as part of spot checks. The December deadline for feedback means that shippers have time to brace themselves and to prepare for considerably more onerous customs checks.

US shippers bear brunt of air cargo turbulence

Fast-growing demand, coupled with tightening capacity, is causing increased volatility in air cargo markets worldwide. US shippers are among those most likely to feel the fallout from these trends. However, the effects tend to be limited to certain specific routes into the US. Why is the US so affected? Firstly, North America is seeing the world’s fastest growth in air cargo demand, according to Maersk’s September 2026 market update. Air cargo demand in North America increased by 4.8% year on year in July. At the same time, available capacity fell by 1.5% in the region. This has created local imbalances, particularly on routes linked to high demand for AI data center components. Markets which have seen notable growth for AI-related cargo include South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan . The lack of uniformity in conditions across the wider air freight market means shippers need to take steps to review capacity requirements in good time , Maersk said. “Maintaining visibility around key manufacturing gateways can provide greater flexibility. For components with longer lead times, considering alternative or multimodal transport options can also help support continuity across increasingly complex production networks,” the report said. Having greater visibility of production schedules, inventory priorities, and capacity at key manufacturing gateways gives shippers the option of potentially opting for cheaper alternatives to air freight. Maersk also advised shippers to pay close attention to the evolving situation in the Middle East . Gulf routings, fuel prices, and changing airspace conditions could all lead to extra volatility in wider air cargo markets.

Carriers deploy blankings to stretch peak season

Disciplined capacity management by ocean carriers has enabled them to ensure trans-Pacific container spot rates continue to rise despite falling demand. Spot rates on the Shanghai to Los Angeles leg were up 2% week on week, while rising 1% on the Shanghai to New York route, according to Drewry. Carriers had helped support rates by blanking seven sailings on the trans-Pacific, a number which is likely to rise to eight next week. Shippers can expect rates to increase slightly in the run-up to China’s Golden Week holiday in less than three weeks. However, they should also prepare for continued aftereffects of a series of four typhoons which hit ports in China. According to Linerlytica, vessels were waiting 12 days for a berth in Shanghai and Ningbo this week. Hopes are that the Golden Week period - due in under three weeks - will give ports a much-needed breathing space to clear the backlog. Nevertheless, shippers in the US can expect to see a prolonged period of “bunched” vessels arriving in US ports throughout October . They may also potentially see even sharper spot rate increases if other carriers follow CMA CGM in introducing peak season surcharges . ❓ Got a question about your flows? We answer it in an upcoming edition.

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Amazon is set to suspend flights with 21 Air, the cargo airline operating a Boeing 767 which crashed in Miami, while an investigation into the incident takes place. The suspension will lead to the removal of seven of its freighter aircraft from the Amazon network.

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Sources

• CAAS
• JOC
• Typhoon delays
• JOC
• Maersk fleet
• iPolitics
• Border enforcement
• JOC
• Import compliance
• The Loadstar