shipping

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…