Weekly Freight Report: April 10, 2026

This week brought a convergence of cost pressures, compliance risks, and policy deadlines that shippers can’t afford to sit on. Diesel blew past $5.40 a gallon, trade fraud is running rampant across import declarations, and a critical USMCA decision is now just 83 days away.

Meanwhile, Washington isn’t slowing down. Section 232 tariffs just got overhauled, a new secondary tariff threat is targeting Iran’s weapons suppliers, and air freight networks across Asia are in disruption.

Read the full update — because waiting to react will cost more than staying ahead.

How Fuel Volatility Rewrites Freight Cost Models

Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz has sent diesel prices surging to $5.40 per gallon, up nearly 39% since the conflict began, rewriting freight cost models for shippers on both spot and contract freight. On contract freight, fuel surcharges are the primary impact, with carriers expecting current bids to come back higher across sectors starting in Q2. Spot market carriers are taking the hit in real time.

While Everyone Watches Oil and Tariffs, USMCA Looms

Talks to renew the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement have begun between the US and Mexico, but considerable uncertainty remains about what happens in the weeks ahead leading up to July 1, 2026. Under Article 34.7 of the USMCA, the three governments must decide by that date whether to extend the agreement for another 16 years. July 1 is not a finish line. It is the point where the clock either resets or starts running down toward a 2036 expiration. Supply chain leaders with North American exposure need contingency plans now.

'Definitely a Sham': As Tariffs Climb, Trade Fraud and Accounting Tricks Proliferate

On April 2, 2026, President Trump issued a proclamation significantly revising the Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper. Tariffs now apply to the full customs value of the product, not just the value of the metal inputs. The new structure imposes a 50% rate on articles almost entirely composed of steel, aluminum, or copper, and a 25% rate on derivative products. Changes took effect April 6 with no exception for goods already in transit.

United States Modifies Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Section 232 Tariffs

Dimerco’s industry briefing identifies three structural shifts reshaping ocean shipping: de minimis exemptions have been stripped from many low-value imports, enforcement of Southeast Asian transshipment rerouting has tightened significantly, and demand has shifted rather than disappeared across major trade lanes. Shippers who built their ocean freight strategies around flexible routing assumptions are being forced to start over.

Trump Threatens 50% Tariffs on Countries Supplying Iran with Weapons

Hours after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, President Trump announced that any country supplying Iran with military weapons would face immediate 50% tariffs on all goods sold to the United States, with no exclusions or exemptions. The announcement did not specify a legal authority, as the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of IEEPA for broad trade tariffs in February. China and Russia are the primary targets, adding more uncertainty to already volatile trade flows.

Asia Flight Chaos: 58 Cancellations, 361 Delays Hit Key Hubs

A fresh wave of disruptions is hitting Asian air freight networks, with 58 flights canceled and at least 361 delayed across carriers including China Eastern, Batik Air, Korean Air, and Uzbekistan Airways. Beijing sits at the center of the turbulence, with its dense mix of domestic and international routes leaving little recovery capacity when irregular operations hit. Shippers relying on air freight through these hubs should expect delays and plan accordingly.

Weekly Freight Report: April 10, 2026

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