Maritime
January 15: Maersk Resuming Regular Routing Through Red Sea with India-U.S. Service – American Shipper
Maersk on January 15 said it is resuming scheduled service through the Red Sea-Suez Canal route for the first time in two years.
The announcement follows what the carrier called a successful test when the U.S.-flagged Maersk Denver transited the Suez Canal route January 11-12 on the westbound MECL service connecting India and the United States.
Maersk in a customer advisory said the move is a “structural return” of the MECL service to the trans-Suez route. The company earlier characterized this as a stepwise approach to gradually re-introduce capacity at a time when carriers have been struggling with depressed rates amid uneven demand and an influx of new vessels.
January 16: As Suez Traffic Cautiously Returns, Houthis Make New Threats – The Maritime Executive
Shipping lines have been exploring a reopening of their container line services through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
Although the last incident was on September 29, when the Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel MV Minervagracht fell victim to a Houthi attack, traffic through the Suez Canal has not yet recovered. Suez Canal traffic transits in 4Q25 were 19 percent lower than in 2023 and 45 percent lower than in 2024, figures skewed by an increase in product tanker transits, while container traffic has still not recovered.
This caution may be justified.
On January 15, Houthi leader Abdel Malek Al Houthi made new threats on Al Mayadeen television. He warned that reconnaissance was being conducted preparatory to the launching of attacks on what he described as Israeli and Zionist fixed positions in Somaliland. He called the positions a threat to Houthi oversight of the Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb Straits.
January 21: Major Carrier Reverses Decision on Red Sea Return – American Journal of Transportation
CMA CGM has announced its FAL1, FAL3 and MEX services connecting Asia and Europe, which recently began transiting Suez Canal again on backhaul voyages, will return to sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.
CMA CGM cited the “the complex and uncertain international context” in reversing its decision to return to the Red Sea.
Air
January 20: Air Cargo On-Time Performance Dropped in 2025 – Air Cargo News
Air cargo reliability declined last year as airlines reshuffled capacity in response to tariff and trade developments, according to a new report by CargoAi.
Last year, airlines’ monthly delivery as promised (DAP) score was lower than the level reported in 2024 in nine out of 12 months, with December matching the prior year’s performance. Improvements of 1 percentage point were recorded in February and August.
The overall score for the year was 62.7%.
January 29: Global Air Cargo Demand Achieved Record Volume in 2025 – IATA press release
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for full year 2025 and December 2025 global air cargo market performance showing:
- Full-year demand for 2025, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased 3.4% compared with 2024 (4.2% for international operations).
- Full-year capacity in 2025, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 3.7% compared with 2024 (5.1% for international operations).
- December 2025 brought the year to a close with continued strong performance. Global demand was 4.3% above December 2024 levels (5.5% for international operations). Global capacity was 4.5% above December 2024 levels (6.4% for international operations).
Trucking
January 5: 84% of Fleets Cite Driver Exoneration as a Leading Reason for Deploying Safety Technology – American Journal of Transportation
New research from Teletrac Navman has found that 84% of fleets cite driver exoneration as a leading reason for deploying safety technology, with 53% of fleets that suffered accidents in the past 12 months successfully able to exonerate a driver.
The ‘Mobilizing the Future of Fleets: 2026 Risk and Exoneration Edition’ uncovered that a third (34%) of fleets reported being impacted by fraudulent motor claims. 77% of respondents also agreed that increasing litigation and legal costs are now a global concern, made evident by the rise of fleet insurance premiums with umbrella liability coverage increasing from 10% to 30%, and auto liability from 10% to 20%.
“The role of telematics is evolving and taking on a more strategic purpose in fleet organizations, moving solely from a tool used for cost control and improvements, to an extremely powerful, proactive risk prevention and management solution,” said Alain Samaha, Chief Executive Officer, Teletrac Navman.
“A high percentage of fleet safety incidents are caused by third parties and other external factors, and video telematics is now the most powerful tool to provide irrefutable, contextual evidence that protects people, preserves reputations and stabilizes margins.”
January 7: Autonomous Trucking Faces Growing Product Liability Risks – FreightWaves
Autonomous trucking technology is advancing rapidly. As with any emerging technology, questions arise when it fails or underperforms. A key challenge for the autonomous vehicle community is that technological development is outpacing legal frameworks, creating potential complications.
One major issue is product liability lawsuits, in which plaintiffs sue manufacturers or sellers, alleging a product caused harm, such as injury or financial loss. Defects can stem from manufacturing, design or marketing flaws. Ignoring these legal risks could lead to fines, settlements or claims costing millions to hundreds of millions of dollars.
January 23: Number of Cargo Thefts Up 18% in 2025, Value of Stolen Goods Up 60% – Truckers News
The number of cargo thefts increased markedly in 2025, and the value of the goods stolen increased as well, as crooks focused on high-value items.
Verisk CargoNet, a company focused on cargo theft prevention and recovery, reports that incidents involving confirmed cargo theft increased 18% year over year, from 2,243 to 2,646. And, the average value per theft rose to $273,990, up 36 percent from $202,364 in 2024.
CargoNet recorded 3,594 supply chain crime events across the U.S. and Canada in 2025. That number is essentially unchanged from the 3,607 events reported in 2024.
January 29: U.S. Solicitor General Throws Support Behind C.H. Robinson in Freight Broker Liability Case – Logistics Management
Following a merits brief filed earlier this month by Eden Prairie, Minn.-based global third-party logistics (3PL) services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson in a United States Supreme Court case, Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, which it said “will determine whether freight brokers may be held liable under varying state laws for accidents involving federally licensed motor carriers,” the United States federal government, through Solicitor General D. John Sauer, recently filed an amicus brief that supports C.H. Robinson’s position and calls on the United States Supreme Court to establish federal rules for how freight moves across the country, while keeping highways safe and goods moving efficiently.
C.H. Robinson will present its oral argument before the Supreme Court on March 4.
Briefs were also filed in support of C.H. Robinson’s position by Amazon, Wayfair, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Transportation Intermediaries Association.
January 29: AI is Reshaping Trucking in 2026, from the Back Office to the Shop – Heavy Duty Trucking
Artificial intelligence was one of the biggest trends of 2025, and trucking is no exception. And AI is intersecting with other trucking technology trends, such as cybersecurity, cargo theft and autonomous trucks.
“In the 21st century, we’re used to technology advancing at a rapid pace,” DAT Freight & Analytics said in its 2026 Freight Focus report. “But every so often, tech makes a giant leap forward, and 2025 was one of those years.
“We’ve seen it in the explosion of AI, the momentum in automated vehicles and technologies specifically designed to do more and do it faster. The ripple effects of these advancements will be felt throughout 2026, and businesses have spent the past 12 months positioning themselves either to seize new opportunities or to avoid being left behind.”
DAT predicts that AI can be a competitive advantage for trucking companies in 2026.
“Technologies that improve cash flow, deliver the visibility customers expect and maximize utilization will be essential.”
Modern transportation management systems and telematics platforms increasingly embed AI to improve utilization, routing decisions, safety, truck diagnostics and predictive maintenance, and more.
January 29: The $75,000 Bond and Truckers Left Holding The Bag – FreightWaves
Owner-operator out of Tennessee. Good guy, been running for 12 years. Hauled a load for a broker he found on DAT. The rate confirmation looked legit. Delivered on time, got a signed POD and submitted his invoice.
Thirty days later, no payment. Forty-five days, nothing. Calls go to voicemail. Emails bounce back. He checks SAFER and discovers the broker’s authority was revoked two weeks after he delivered that load.
He files a claim against the $75,000 surety bond. Figures, that’s what it’s there for, right? Turns out he was claimant number 47. The bond was already exhausted. He got a check for $312.
Rail
January 30: Tariffs Caused C$550-Million Hit to Canadian Railways in 2025 – Transport Topics
U.S. tariffs on commodities and the resulting uncertainty led to more than C$550 million in forgone revenues last year at Canada’s two largest railroad operators.
President Donald Trump’s administration caused turmoil in global trade by adding sweeping import tariffs in 2025, including 50% on steel and aluminum, and 10% on lumber in addition to separate duties of 35% for Canada.
Canadian National Railway reported January 30 that revenue in the fourth quarter fell by 4% in metals and minerals, and 8% in forest products, compared with the same period in 2024.
“Trade uncertainty and volatility impacted our full-year 2025 revenues by over $350 million,” said Chief Commercial Officer Janet Drysdale.
The head of Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Keith Creel, said January 28 that the company “absorbed a pretty significant hit from all the uncertainty,” with $200 million or more of revenue impact.