International Housewares Association

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left…

by Dave Akers, IHSA The pending Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz that was heavily brokered by Pakistan between the U.S. and Iran was signed on June 17. However, it is still considered a “pending” document in the trade world due to it being an interim framework agreement and not a finalized treaty. While it represents…

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” — George Carlin Navigating the ocean freight market right now is a masterclass in managing volatility. As of mid-May 2026, ocean container carriers are aggressively manipulating capacity on both coasts to defend freight rates against a…

by Dave Akers, IHSA Stephen Hawking said "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." Based on our industry, we must be the founding members of Mensa. As we reach the final days of the 2026 contract season, the landscape has been fundamentally reshaped. Transpacific ocean carriers have responded to the soaring fuel prices caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis by…

by Dave Akers, IHSA "A recession is when a neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours." — Ronald Reagan The ocean shipping industry is currently navigating a significant crisis as of March 2026, primarily driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. These disruptions have forced carriers to implement Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS) to offset…