Logistics Pulse Newsletter— Court Ruling on Tariffs, Peak Season Pressures, and Market Signals
Welcome to Logistics Pulse
This week’s top news in trucking and logistics
This week, global trade and logistics are being reshaped by legal battles over tariffs, regulatory showdowns between California and Washington, and signs of fragility across freight markets. From the U.S. Supreme Court weighing in on trade duties, to flatlining factory output and new shipping surcharges, shippers face a volatile landscape where both costs and compliance are in flux.
Tariff Turmoil 2025: What Court Battles Mean for Global Trade and Your Supply Chain
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Top articles this week
Trump will ask Supreme Court for ‘expedited ruling’ on tariffs appeal
President Trump is pressing the Supreme Court for an expedited ruling after a federal appeals court struck down most of his emergency-based tariffs as unconstitutional. The decision puts billions in collected duties at risk of refund and could upend trade agreements built on those levies. For now, the tariffs remain in place until at least October 14, with logistics leaders cautioning companies not to overhaul sourcing until legal clarity arrives. Still, the possibility of retroactive refunds has importers scrambling to review documentation, while the administration hints at fallback tariff tools if it loses.
Uncertainty is the defining factor: should shippers pre-position inventory, or hold back and wait for clarity?
California vs. US showdown: two cases might head to same stage, and Federal Register notice posted
The clash over California’s authority to regulate emissions tougher than federal standards is spreading across multiple lawsuits. At issue are EPA-revoked waivers for California’s Omnibus NOx and Advanced Clean Trucks rules, as well as the state’s Clean Truck Check program that ropes in out-of-state carriers. Federal filings argue California’s rules violate the Commerce Clause by burdening interstate trade, while OEMs and manufacturers who once backed California are now suing to stop enforcement. The outcome could reshape compliance costs for fleets nationwide and determine whether states can set their own trucking standards.
For shippers dependent on California lanes, how do you plan for a patchwork of environmental rules that may shift overnight?
Ocean rates unchanged even as freight volumes decline
Spot rates on key trans-Pacific routes remain flat even as U.S. import volumes slip nearly 18% year-over-year. Carriers are attempting general rate increases ahead of China’s Golden Week, but weak demand and rising overcapacity threaten to undercut pricing power. Blank sailings are increasing, and Asia-Europe volumes are softening further, signaling an early end to peak season momentum. Political instability in the Red Sea has forced carriers to keep avoiding the Suez route, yet even those diversions aren’t enough to lift rates. Shippers now face a market where rates are historically low, but service reliability hinges on carriers’ willingness to cancel sailings.
How should importers lock in long-term contracts when spot rates suggest more price erosion ahead?
In Other News
UPS unveils 2025 holiday shipping surcharges
Peak fees for bulky and high-volume packages kick in Sept. 28, with some charges topping $500 per shipment and demand surcharges applying until mid-January.
Read more on Supply Chain Dive
Walmart posts 50% leap in US store-fulfilled delivery sales
Store-fulfilled deliveries jumped 50% last quarter, with one-third arriving in under three hours as the retailer scales AI-powered dynamic delivery windows.
Read more on Supply Chain Dive
August manufacturing activity flat as tariff uncertainty looms: PMI
ISM’s August PMI came in at 48.7, with production down 3.6 points. Nearly 90% of surveyed manufacturers cite tariff uncertainty as a major concern.
Read more on Supply Chain Dive
Private investor, South Korean conglomerate partner on U.S. maritime initiative
Cerberus Capital and South Korea’s HD Hyundai announced a partnership to modernize U.S. shipbuilding, signaling foreign capital is filling domestic gaps.
What Trump’s tariff loss in court means for shippers and the billions in trade duties collected by U.S. government
Analysts warn that even if refunds materialize, companies using brokers or integrators may face long delays in recovering duties already paid.
Benchmark diesel price rises after five straight weeks of declines