Four Things Forwarders Must Watch This Week: Rates, PSS, Transshipment, Tariffs

The Core Question

What four things should freight forwarders watch this week? US ocean rates are rising (Shanghai-New York $8,706, +10%), CMA CGM adds a Peak Season Surcharge on August 28, the White House is tightening transshipment scrutiny via Vietnam and Mexico, and the US has invoked Section 338 for the first time, adding a 50% tariff on Canadian goods from August 19. All four signals point in the same direction: cost and compliance risks are rising, so forwarders need to notify customers early, verify documentation, and adjust quoting strategy.

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US Ocean Rates Are Rising Again: How to Explain It to Customers

US ocean rates rose across the board this week: Shanghai-New York reached $8,706 per container, up 10% month-over-month; Los Angeles reached $6,244, up 6%. The logic is simple to explain: tensions around the Strait of Hormuz force vessels to reroute, voyage times lengthen, capacity tightens, and rates climb. When shippers ask why rates rose again, forwarders who can explain this chain gain credibility.

Forwarder actions: alert in-transit customers with the reasoning; add floating clauses to new quotes ("subject to rate on booking date"); secure capacity for urgent shipments early. During volatile periods, shorten quote validity and quote spot cargo daily.

CMA CGM Adds PSS on August 28: Notify Customers Now

CMA CGM announced a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) starting August 28, with affected routes per the carrier's official notice. Peak season surcharges are industry practice: Q3-Q4 capacity is tight and carriers use surcharges to balance supply and demand.

Why notify now rather than wait for invoices? Customers plan shipments in advance and need cost visibility; earlier notification means fewer billing disputes; and proactive communication builds trust compared with reactive explanations after rates rise. Practical steps: compile the list of in-transit and booked customers and notify them this week; include PSS in new quotes with the effective date; monitor other carriers, since peak surcharges often spread across the industry.

White House Transshipment Crackdown: Vietnam and Mexico Cargo at Risk

The US is tightening scrutiny of transshipment trade, focusing on Vietnam and Mexico — routes used to circumvent tariffs are now high-risk. The core of compliant transshipment is substantial transformation: goods must undergo real processing or assembly in the third country and obtain valid certificates of origin. Fake transshipment — relabeling or repackaging only — risks not just back duties but penalties, cargo seizure, and damage to the entire supply chain.

Forwarder actions: identify customers shipping via Vietnam or Mexico and warn them; verify processing steps and certificates of origin, and refuse non-compliant transshipment; add a compliance review step to quoting during tightening periods. Compliance is not a cost; it is a moat.

Section 338 Invoked for the First Time: 50% Tariff on Canadian Goods from August 19

The US has invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 for the first time, adding a 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods effective August 19. This rare invocation carries significance beyond the amount itself: it shows Washington has another unconventional tool in its trade policy toolkit.

Impact on forwarders: verify origin and HS codes shipment by shipment for in-transit cargo; alert Canada-line customers today with a list of affected categories; add tariff-change clauses to Canada quotes during this sensitive period. In times of trade policy change, speed of response is the competitive edge.

FAQ

Q: Why are US ocean rates rising, and will they keep rising?

A: The current increase is driven by rerouting due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz — longer voyages tighten capacity and push rates up. Whether they keep rising depends on the situation and capacity supply. Quote spot cargo daily and shorten quote validity.

Q: What is PSS, and will all carriers charge it?

A: PSS is the Peak Season Surcharge carriers collect when capacity is tight in peak season. CMA CGM adds it from August 28; other carriers may follow. Check each carrier's official notice.

Q: Is transshipment via Vietnam or Mexico still safe?

A: Transshipment with genuine substantial transformation remains compliant. Fake transshipment — relabeling or repackaging only — is high-risk as the US tightens scrutiny. Verify certificates of origin and avoid non-compliant practices.

Q: Which goods are affected by the Section 338 tariff?

A: Certain Canadian goods face an additional 50% tariff from August 19; check the official list for exact categories. Forwarders on the Canada lane should verify HS codes shipment by shipment.

Q: How do these changes affect quoting?

A: Add floating clauses ("subject to rate on booking date"), tariff-change clauses, and note surcharge effective dates in quotes to avoid losses from cost volatility.

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Shanghai Naili Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Naili AI Logistics Lab) has focused on digital marketing for freight forwarders for 10 years. We provide full-service forwarding marketing department outsourcing, including AI implementation, GEO optimization and website redesign. We help forwarders build AI quoting assistants, customer service assistants, AI daily briefings and sales AI, always starting from real business scenarios.