Recent federal actions are shaping the ocean freight market as the United States moves to tighten trade controls. A presidential proclamation under Section 232 now imposes tariffs ranging from 15% to 100% on foreign drones and related components, while a U.S. Court of International Trade decision upheld the suspension of the $800 de minimis exemption, meaning low‑value parcels must now go through formal customs entry.

Impact on China‑U.S. Ocean Rates

Freight Right reports that rates for shipments from China to the U.S. West Coast are hovering between $7,000 and $7,500 per forty‑foot equivalent unit (FEU). Promotional discounts are bringing usable rates down to roughly $5,700‑$6,300. The West Coast market remains stable, with only slight softening.

For the East Coast, Gulf Coast and inland destinations, rates sit firmly between $9,800 and $11,000 per FEU, with few discount options available. The lowest spot rates observed are about $5,200 for West Coast shipments and $6,850 for East Coast shipments.

Market Outlook Through September

Industry analysts expect the current lull to continue through the end of August, with carrier capacity cuts preventing a major rate collapse. Minor downward adjustments of a few hundred dollars may occur if overall volumes dip, but no drastic cuts are anticipated. Carriers are likely to keep using blank sailings to preserve rate baselines.

Air Freight Remains Stable

Air freight rates from China to the United States have also steadied after a brief surge caused by Typhoon Dolphin. Current quotes to Los Angeles and San Francisco range from $5.00 to $6.30 per kilogram, while rates to New York (JFK) sit between $6.25 and $7.65 per kilogram. With the weather‑related backlog cleared, pricing is expected to stay within a narrow band unless new disruptions arise.

Overall, the combination of higher tariffs, stricter customs enforcement, and proactive carrier capacity management suggests that both ocean and air freight markets will remain near elevated levels as September begins.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.