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Real-Time Visibility Takes Flight

Jun 24, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New live flight tracking powers smarter airfreight decisions with MVT Track & Trace.

We’re excited to share a powerful new upgrade to MVT Track & Trace, Metro’s shipment visibility platform, that delivers even greater control and confidence when managing your airfreight.

Our latest enhancement introduces real-time flight telemetry tracking, giving you an instant, accurate view of your air cargo’s location, live and in motion. For every shipment, you can now follow its journey across an interactive map, complete with precise flight paths and positional data updated in real time.

Whether you’re monitoring standard freight or time-critical consignments, this new feature transforms how you track air movements, with benefits that include:

  • Live flight tracking for every airfreight shipment
  • Visual map interface showing the current aircraft position and route
  • Accurate flight data, including departure, ETA, and arrival confirmation
  • Time-stamped milestone events, clearly logged for full shipment oversight

Each key status change is automatically captured and displayed through a clean, user-friendly interface, so you’re always in the know, without the need for chasing updates.

This level of transparency is especially valuable when speed and certainty matter most. By enriching your operational visibility, our new flight telemetry feature supports smarter decisions, tighter planning, and more resilient supply chains.

At Metro, we’re committed to continuous innovation that makes logistics smarter, faster, and easier to manage. This upgrade to MVT Track & Trace is just one of the ways we’re helping you stay ahead.

Want to see it in action? Log in to your MVT portal today or EMAIL Ian Powell,
Customer and Technical Solutions Director.

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Pressure Builds on India–Europe Sea Freight

Jun 24, 2025 | , ,

Indian exports are facing growing challenges on the India–Europe sea freight corridor as space tightens, equipment shortages emerge, and rates rise sharply, as carriers push through significant price hikes and service adjustments.

The situation has been building since early May, when the end of seasonal produce volumes briefly softened the market. Since then, rates have rebounded week-on-week, climbing steadily on the back of capacity cuts, slower vessel arrivals, and strategic redeployments by carriers. While export volumes remain steady, the squeeze on space and container availability is driving up freight costs and impacting booking reliability.

From mid-June and into July, carriers have introduced a series of general rate increases (GRIs), with some operators implementing double-digit percentage rises on westbound shipments from Indian ports to North Europe and the Mediterranean. Several major lines have also introduced new surcharges to secure space, including emergency space surcharges and revised all-in tariffs.

These rate increases coincide with signs of wider strain on the trade. Some carriers are deploying smaller vessels on Indian routes to prioritise higher-yield trans-Pacific traffic, while others have voided scheduled calls due to operational issues. The result is growing uncertainty at key Indian ports, including Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Ennore, and Chennai, where last-minute gate cut-off changes and blank sailings are complicating planning for exporters and freight forwarders.

At the same time, equipment availability is starting to tighten. While the situation is not yet critical, access to empty containers, especially in inland and southern locations, varies widely between carriers and equipment types. The slowdown in imports from Asia, driven by congestion at transhipment hubs, is beginning to disrupt the usual balance of container flows, raising concerns about inventory levels in the weeks ahead.

The full impact of these challenges is now being felt across the market. Rates from West India to key European destinations, including Rotterdam, Antwerp, and London Gateway have increased by more than 50% in some cases, with further hikes expected. Carriers appear confident in their ability to hold these levels through the end of July, with strong demand and constrained supply underpinning their position.

As these dynamics play out, shippers should brace for continued volatility. Advance planning, flexible routing, and close collaboration with stakeholders will be essential in a trade lane that shows no signs of stabilising in the near term.

Metro combines deep ocean freight expertise with global reach and local insight, now strengthened by our new India office, to keep your cargo moving through market volatility.

EMAIL managing director, Andrew Smith, to discover how our sea freight solutions and on-the-ground presence in India can support your supply chain.

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Tariff Pause Triggers Surge in Ocean Freight Rates – But Legal Roadblocks Lie Ahead

Jun 11, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Container shipping lines are driving spot rates sharply higher, with the 2025 transpacific peak season likely to begin earlier than usual, fuelled by a surge in US imports from Asia.

Spot rates on key routes are rising faster than during the pandemic-era boom. Carriers implemented general rate increases (GRIs) on 1 June and plan further hikes for mid-June and 1 July, seizing the moment while demand is high.

According to the WCI, Shanghai–Los Angeles rates surged 57% week-on-week, while Shanghai–New York climbed 39%. Since mid-April, West Coast rates are up 173%, and East Coast rates have more than doubled. For comparison, rates rose just 20% over the same period in 2021. Asia–Europe lanes are also rallying, with the Shanghai–Rotterdam index up 32% and Shanghai–Genoa rising 38%, the highest weekly increases in many months.

But this momentum may be short-lived, as a wave of new capacity is entering the market. On Asia–West Coast routes, supply will grow by 13% in June and 16% in July. This additional capacity is expected to blunt the impact of further rate hikes, and limit the length of the current rally.

At the same time, the legal outlook for Trump ‘reciprocal’ tariffs remains highly uncertain. On 29 May, a federal appeals court temporarily reinstated the tariffs, just one day after the US Court of International Trade ruled that the former president had exceeded his authority and ordered an immediate block. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington paused that decision to consider the government’s appeal, with final briefs due by 9 June.

However, legal experts suggest that the original court ruling is on strong footing. Under the current framework, principally the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), presidential authority to impose broad-based tariffs is limited. The Court of International Trade ruled that Trump’s use of IEEPA to impose tariffs on non-emergency, peacetime imports likely overstepped constitutional bounds.

If the appeal fails, Trump’s tariffs will face two remaining paths: either a legislative push to expand presidential tariff authority through Congress, or a ruling from the Supreme Court. The latter remains a real possibility if the administration persists and seeks to test the constitutional limits of executive trade powers.

In the meantime, the legal limbo is prompting importers to accelerate orders while the tariffs remain suspended, adding further pressure to ocean freight markets. But with front-loading already well advanced, this year’s peak season is expected to be earlier and shorter than the usual August–October window. While carriers are determined to ride the wave of high rates, fundamentals suggest the next one or two GRIs may be the last before rates begin to level off.

With legal uncertainty surrounding US tariffs and ocean freight markets under intense pressure, early planning and expert guidance are more critical than ever.

Metro’s experienced sea freight and customs brokerage teams are here to support your transpacific and Asia–Europe supply chains, with in-market expertise and local operations in the US.

Whether you’re juggling critical shipments, reviewing tariff exposure, or seeking end-to-end compliance support, Metro has the insight and capability to keep your cargo moving.

EMAIL our managing director, Andrew Smith, today to stay ahead of disruption and secure your space at the best possible rates.

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Air Cargo Outlook Strengthens

Jun 10, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Global air cargo demand continues to show signs of recovery, driven by seasonal trends, front-loaded shipments and shifting trade flows. However, market conditions remain volatile, with varying regional dynamics, capacity fluctuations and ongoing uncertainty.

Air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), rose nearly 6% year-on-year in April, supported by the seasonal uplift in fashion and consumer goods, pre-emptive shipping ahead of US tariff changes, and falling jet fuel prices. Month-on-month, demand rose 2.3%, building on a strong March performance and growing again in May.

Freighter capacity returns to the trans-Pacific
Freighter capacity is rising again, especially on the transPacific, as airlines cautiously reintroduce wide-body lift in response to improving demand. Asia–Europe and Middle East–Asia freighter supply grew 11%, while Asia Pacific–North America increased 8% in the first week of June.

After a sharp fall in eCommerce volumes triggered by new US tariff rules, capacity had shifted away from China–US lanes. But as volumes recover, albeit slowly, freighters are returning.

Freighter services are also being bolstered through indirect routings. Chinese carriers, for example, have added new air–air links via Hanoi to support Vietnam–US demand, while capacity from South Korea is tightening, especially for high-tech and perishables.

Tariff volatility driving unpredictable rate trends
The Baltic Air Freight Index rose 1.2% month-on-month in May, but was over 5% down win the same period in 2024. Spot freight rates on lanes out of China softened in early May before rising sharply later in the month. The spot rate index for Hong Kong was up 1% compared to April but down 6.3% year-on-year.

A patchwork of changing US tariff rules created considerable mid-month turbulence. eCommerce shipments, which made up 50% of China–US air freight in 2024, have been hit hard. The May 2 removal of the de minimis exemption for low-value shipments was followed by a brief truce and a reduction in duties. First from 145% to 120%, then to 54%, with a flat $100 fee on postal items. These changes triggered both short-term front-loading and momentary drops in volumes.

Carriers are warning that further disruptions may arise if shippers wait too long to secure capacity, especially with the current 90-day tariff truce due to end in mid-August. Late-quarter demand and compliance bottlenecks could create pressure points, especially on high-traffic lanes such as China–US and intra-Asia.

Regional variation and trade lane shifts
Rates and demand trends continue to diverge across regions. Intra-Asia demand is firm, supported by high-tech and perishables, while South Korea–US routes require bookings up to two weeks in advance. Rates from Japan to Europe are rising, though capacity from Guangzhou and other hubs has been reduced. Meanwhile, outbound rates from Vietnam and India remain lower year-on-year.

In the Americas, rates from the US to South America are significantly higher than a year ago, although some observers are beginning to flag early signs of overcapacity. Rates from Europe are mixed, and seasonal factors like cherry and peach exports are also starting to influence flows and capacity allocation.

Jet fuel remains a bright spot for airlines. Prices were 21% lower year-on-year and 4% down month-on-month, offering margin support even in the face of softening yields.

As air cargo markets navigate shifting demand and volatile rates, securing reliable space at the best rates is more critical than ever. Metro’s global air freight specialists work across key trade lanes, including Asia, Europe and the Americas, to help you air freight with confidence.

Whether you’re moving high-tech, fashion, perishables, eCommerce or anything else, our team ensures fast, reliable and cost-effective air freight solutions tailored to your needs.

EMAIL managing director, Andrew Smith, today to secure capacity, avoid disruption and keep your supply chain moving efficiently.

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