Trade News

President Trump’s decision to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminum — raising them from 25% to 50% — is generating strong reactions across the supply chain, manufacturing, and logistics industries. The move, announced at a rally in Pennsylvania, is intended to support the U.S. steel industry and domestic production. However, many experts warn that the tariffs could drive up costs, strain supply chains, and invite retaliatory measures from key trading partners.

The new tariffs, which will take effect on June 4, follow recent tensions over global steel production and trade imbalances. The policy also comes at a time when industries that rely heavily on steel and aluminum—including automotive, construction, and packaging—are already facing rising costs and supply chain disruptions.

Supply chain voices are raising concerns about the new steel and aluminum tariffs. Here are some of their reactions:

Michael Knight, President & CEO, Endries Internat…

One day after a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled that President Trump had misused the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1997, in steps he took to implement tariffs on various consumer and industrial products, including the 10% global tariff on U.S. trading partners, 25% tariffs placed on Canada and Mexico, 30% tariffs on China related to fentanyl and border crisis concerns, the elimination of the de minimis exemption on imports from China and called for a permanent halt of the majority of tariffs and also ruling against future modifications against them, the White House received a reprieve one day later.

That reprieve came in the form of a temporary stay of the White House’s tariffs, following an appeal made by the U.S. Department of Justice to the U.S. Justice Department to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which reinstated the tariffs as the appeal is considered, prior to this case moving to the …

A U.S. trade court has struck down most of President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs, dealing a major blow to one of his key economic policies. The Court of International Trade ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose tariffs on imports from nearly every country in the world.

A three-judge panel said the president’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) didn’t give him the right to set trade policy without Congress. “The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the court wrote.

The ruling leaves in place older tariffs Trump imposed using a separate law tied to national security, covering imports of steel, aluminum, and autos. But the rest—including the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs—are now blocked.

Trump used tariffs as leverage in trade talks and said they would bring back manufactu…

CMA CGM is making a major move in Vietnam, investing $600 million to build a new deep-water terminal in Haiphong, a growing industrial hub in the country’s north.

The global shipping company has signed a partnership with Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP) to design, build, and run the new terminal. Located in Haiphong’s Lach Huyen area, the facility will be able to handle 1.9 million TEUs and is expected to open in 2028.

CMA CGM said the project is meant to keep up with the rising number of containers moving through northern Vietnam, one of the fastest-growing regions in Southeast Asia.

“This partnership will enable CMA CGM to secure long-term capacity in a region that has become central to Asian supply chains due to its rapid industrial and logistics development,” the company said in a statement.

The terminal will join CMA CGM’s existing port operations in southern Vietnam, where the company already has stakes in the Gemalink terminal in Cai Mep an…

DHL Group is partnering with Shopify to help merchants ship products more easily across borders. The partnership connects Shopify sellers directly to DHL’s global shipping network through the Shopify Shipping platform, cutting out extra steps and making international delivery simpler and faster.

With DHL already built into Shopify, sellers won’t need to sign up separately with a shipping company or figure out international customs on their own. Instead, they’ll have one place to manage shipping, including taxes, duties, and paperwork.

“As the world’s leading logistics company, DHL connects merchants to their end customers through our extensive network spanning 220 countries and territories,” said Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer at DHL. “We know that navigating customs clearance, duties, and tax compliance, in addition to finding a dependable delivery partner, can be complex without expert assistance. The partnership between DHL and Shopify allows merchant…

WiseTech Global is making a major push into the U.S. market with a $3.25 billion deal to acquire Texas-based logistics software company e2open. The all-cash acquisition will bring on more than 5,600 customers, connect 500,000 businesses, and strengthen WiseTech’s reach in global supply chains.

WiseTech will pay $3.30 per share, and the deal already has support from a majority of e2open’s shareholders. Pending regulatory approval, it’s expected to close in the first half of 2026.

“This is a strategically significant step in achieving our expanded vision to be the operating system for global trade and logistics,” said Richard White, WiseTech’s Founder and Executive Chair. “E2open brings to WiseTech several well-established, complementary products. This will enable WiseTech to create a multi-sided marketplace that connects all trade and logistics stakeholders to efficiently offer and acquire services, removing complex disconnected processes and driving visibilit…

President Trump has a bold and ambitious vision to revitalize the American economy – one built on global competitiveness and U.S. strength. But unless we move quicker to finalize new trade agreements, that vision risks being derailed by the growing burden of extended tariffs.

Wholesaler-distributors sit at the center of the supply chain. When costs rise for us, it has a domino effect touching every sector from manufacturing and retail to construction and healthcare. A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) found that despite progress being made on some trade negotiations, tariffs, particularly stacking multiple tariffs on Chinese goods, are driving up costs, disrupting operations, and slowing momentum not just within the supply chain but across the entire economy.

The effects are already visible. One-third of distributors report they are seeing price hikes of 25% or more due to tariffs, and near…

With new tariffs taking effect, trucking rules shifting, and global shipping disruptions growing, U.S. supply chains are facing a challenging summer. Karl Fillhouer, Vice President of Sales and Operations at Circle Logistics, shares his take on what these changes mean for freight volumes, logistics planning, and the months ahead.

Supply Chain 24/7: What is your initial reaction to the 90-day tariff reduction agreement between the U.S. and China?

Karl Filhouer: This temporary easing is a cautiously positive step; however, a short-term ‘fix’ will not compensate for the long-term damage being done with our trading partners from around the globe. The U.S. is dependent on China and other global trading partners, whether we want to admit it or not, at least in the short term. These tariffs, in my opinion, will ultimately increase the cost of living in the U.S.

SC247: How might this temporary easing of tariffs influence shipping volumes and logistics operations…

Apple is doubling down on India as a major hub for making iPhones. Foxconn, the company that builds most of Apple’s phones, just announced a $1.5 billion investment in a new plant near Chennai. The new facility will make display modules—key parts that go under the iPhone’s screen and handle touch, brightness, and color.

This is Apple’s latest move to shift some of its manufacturing out of China, where most of its devices are still made. However, the shift is drawing criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants Apple to bring jobs back home. “We are not interested in you building in India,” Trump said last week, calling out Apple and CEO Tim Cook.

Even with that pressure, Apple is moving forward. A filing on the London Stock Exchange confirmed Foxconn’s India unit, Yuzhan Technology India, will receive the $1.5 billion investment. Two government officials told the Financial Times that the money will go toward building a display module plant at the ESR O…

Fast-fashion giant Shein is leasing a massive warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, according to a Reuters report citing sources familiar with the deal. The move is to avoid rising U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports.

This will be Shein’s first warehouse in Vietnam. The facility, which covers about 15 hectares—or roughly the size of 26 football fields—will serve as a storage and distribution hub for clothing before it’s shipped out. Shein has also been looking to lease more space in southern Vietnam.

The warehouse deal comes just weeks after the U.S. ended a key trade exemption for Chinese goods known as the “de minimis” rule. That change hit Shein hard, as the company relies heavily on low-cost shipments from China. As of now, Vietnamese shipments under $800 still enter the U.S. duty-free.

“It would be dangerous for them not to diversify,” said Manish Kapoor, CEO of e-commerce logistics firm Growth Catalyst Group. He added that his team is telling clien…

Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping company, says business is booming this week as shipping demand between China and the U.S. takes off again.

“The last couple of days we see a huge surge of volume and now we need to see how long that lasts,” CEO Rolf Habben Jansen told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday.

Jansen said that bookings between China and the U.S. have been up more than 50% in recent weeks. He called it a “pretty significant” increase and said other global trade lanes remain steady for now.

The boost follows a newly announced 90-day truce between the U.S. and China. On Monday, the U.S. dropped tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, and China cut its retaliatory duties from 125% to 10%. Trade between the two countries had nearly stopped since early April, when the tariffs went into effect.

While the demand is promising, Jansen said there’s still a lot of uncertainty. “I still remain cautiously optimistic that we…

The recent U.S.-China agreement to pause tariff hikes and temporarily roll back some duties is being met with cautious optimism across the global supply chain. Reactions have come from shipping firms, industry groups, and financial analysts, all pointing to the same thing: relief in the short term, but questions about what happens after the 90-day window.

“This is a step in the right direction,” Maersk said in a statement, adding that it hopes the agreement leads to “a more stable and predictable environment for customers.”

Shipping Carriers Welcome the Reprieve

CMA CGM also praised the agreement. “This truce shows that dialogue is still possible between the two largest economies in the world,” the company said. “This is good news for global trade and for shipping.”

Hapag-Lloyd echoed that sentiment, telling Reuters it expects an uptick in container bookings on trans-Pacific lanes, especially ahead of peak season.

Retailers, Brands See Temporary Reli…