Big changes are underway for global supply chains: the United States has extended tariff exemptions on hundreds of Chinese industrial and medical products and suspended for one year all Section 301 measures targeting Chinese maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. Together with the removal of “reciprocal tariffs” on certain agricultural imports (coffee, tea, tropical fruit, meat), these moves provide a temporary but significant easing of pressure for importers, freight forwarders and logistics providers.

Meanwhile, U.S. freight volumes and import demand are cooling sharply — with forecasts pointing to a ~16.6% year-over-year drop in imports for December. That means truckers, carriers and third-party logistics firms may face a tougher market headwind in the coming months.

In short: as tariff and port-fee uncertainty recedes, some cost pressures may ease — but structural headwinds for freight and logistics remain. For companies operating global supply chains, now is a key moment to re-evaluate sourcing, inventory and distribution strategies.

What this means for supply-chain leaders & logistics teams:
Short-term relief on duties and port/handling fees: a window for stabilizing cost bases.
Renewed pressure on transport demand and logistics margins: rethink shipping modes, lead times and inventory buffers.
Strategic inflection: if global trade remains uncertain, near-shoring, diversification or localization strategies may become more attractive.