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Navigating the Bunker Crisis

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…

Liquidation and IEEPA Tariff Refunds

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — Now that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has struck down President Trump’s International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, the issue of refunds is back in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) where one of its three judges, Judge Richard Eaton, is presiding over the refund process. On March 4, 2026,…

SCOTUS IEEPA Decision Alters Tariff Paradigm

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On Feb 20, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued a 6-3 decision that tariffs imposed by President Trump using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are not legal. As such, SCOTUS struck down the “fentanyl” tariffs that went into effect on March 4, 2025, for Mexico, Canada, and China, and the…

Navigating U.S. Port Modernization Part I

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." — Will Rogers As of early 2026, U.S. ports are engaged in an aggressive modernization push driven by the need to handle larger vessels ("megaships"), reduce congestion, and meet strict new environmental standards. The modernization efforts generally fall into four main…

Navigating AI Security in Ports & Intermodal Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Ignore AI, and you’ll own the next Blockbuster card.” — Arianna Huffington AI is significantly enhancing the security and safety of maritime shipping containers in 2026. This transformation has moved from experimental pilots to practical, real-time applications that protect against both physical and digital threats. These are some of the uses developed…

Groundhog Day and Tariffs

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On Feb. 2, the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob and saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. Perhaps businesses impacted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs (the “reciprocal” and “fentanyl” IEEPA tariffs) might have to wait that long for the Supreme Court…

Navigating AI in Open Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity." — Albert Einstein Many of us already use AI technology in our workplace and realize the time and productivity advantages it affords us. We also know that AI is something that must be controlled and checked for accuracy. But through use and mastery, it can become more accurate and…

IEEPA Refunds, CIT Lawsuits and Tariff Retreats

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — With many legal observers predicting the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will rule against President Trump’s ability to use the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose “reciprocal tariffs” on some 200 countries and “fentanyl tariffs” on Canada, Mexico and China, American companies that paid the tariffs…

Navigating China “Nearshoring” to North America?

by Dave Akers, IHSA "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Ancient Chinese proverb, Lao Tzu Most of us have heard this (translated) Ancient Chinese proverb, but the Chinese have adopted this ancient proverb. The essential concept of this proverb is that huge goals must be broken down into smaller, manageable parts and that it can be applied to all…