Global supply chains continue to face significant headwinds as we move through the second half of 2026. With sudden trade policy shifts in North America, extreme weather events in Europe and ongoing capacity constraints in the air freight sector, proactive logistics planning is essential for maintaining operational resilience.

This update provides a comprehensive overview of the key disruptions currently impacting international freight networks.

U.S. Announces 50% Tariffs on Selected Canadian Imports

In a major development for North American trade, the U.S. Administration has invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose an additional 50% tariff on selected Canadian imports.

Scheduled to take effect on 19 August 2026, this rare provision allows the U.S. President to apply additional duties on imports from countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. commerce.

• Affected Products: The tariffs will apply to a range of Canadian origin goods, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products, cement, furniture, apparel and sporting goods.

• Exemptions: Energy products, potash and critical minerals are excluded.

• USMCA Impact: Crucially, a valid USMCA certificate of origin does not exempt covered products from these new duties.

Actionable Insight: Businesses importing affected Canadian goods into the United States must immediately review their product classifications, verify country of origin documentation and calculate potential duty exposure ahead of the implementation date.

Middle East Port Operations and Congestion

While the majority of port infrastructure across the Middle East continues to operate normally, the regional situation remains fluid. Shippers should account for localised delays and navigational challenges.

• United Arab Emirates: All major ports remain operational. However, the Port of Fujairah is experiencing severe congestion, with berthing delays of up to three weeks for certain vessel types. Furthermore, intermittent GPS interference has been reported in offshore Fujairah waters.

• Oman: Ports are fully operational. Vessels must declare any dangerous goods prior to arrival, and ships calling at Mina Al Fahal are required to have a fully functioning Doppler log due to regional GPS interference.

• Kuwait & Iraq: Commercial ports remain open. Note that Kuwait has temporarily suspended entry permits for foreign vessels arriving from Iraqi ports.

• Other Hubs: Ports in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt and Pakistan are currently operating normally without major alerts.

European Road Freight Disrupted by Wildfires

Severe wildfires sweeping across France and Spain are causing significant disruption to European road freight networks.

Because France serves as a critical transit corridor between the UK and the Iberian Peninsula, these extreme conditions are severely impacting international supply chains. Transport operators are facing road closures, mandatory diversions, reduced visibility from smoke and extreme temperatures.

Shippers should expect longer transit times and potential delays, which is particularly critical for temperature sensitive shipments such as fresh produce. Transport operators moving freight through the region must monitor route conditions closely and build additional buffer time into their schedules.

Air Freight Capacity Squeeze from Asia to Europe

Air cargo volumes and available freighter capacity on routes to Europe have noticeably declined in recent weeks. This contraction is particularly evident on shipments originating from Asia and Hong Kong.

Recent market data links this reduction in capacity to shifting trade patterns and the strategic redeployment of aircraft by major carriers. Consequently, shippers are experiencing tighter space allocations and longer booking lead times on selected Europe bound services.

Actionable Insight: Customers moving time sensitive or high priority shipments must book their air freight as early as possible to secure guaranteed capacity and minimise potential supply chain delays.