Posted on November 9, 2026
The Market Situation
- November brings a change of priorities for North American supply chains. The extended import peak season is beginning to ease. However, transportation networks continue to face localized capacity constraints, elevated operating costs, and weather-related disruptions.
- Drewry’s October assessment points to a more balanced global container market, although conditions remain uneven across individual lanes. Congestion, fuel prices, equipment availability, and local transportation conditions continue to affect the movement of goods on inland networks.
- The region’s trade and regulatory environment is evolving, thus creating specific priorities for shippers: accurate importer records in the United States, review of potential surtax relief in Canada, and preparation for Mexico’s Customs Law changes; the details are covered below.
Ocean & Gateway Update
The ocean freight market remains varied across North America’s major trade lanes. Strong demand continues to support volumes on several routes, while capacity limitations, seasonal cargo movements, and weather-related disruptions are influencing booking availability and transit planning.
- Transatlantic updates: Demand from North Europe remains strong. Capacity is available into Miami while our TA3 service offers opportunities for additional volume into Newark. However, capacity to the U.S. West Coast remains constrained due to limitations across connecting Pacific services. From the Mediterranean, capacity is available on TA10 and TA12 direct services with some constraints on relay movements between Algeciras and Port Tangier, TA11 departures from Genoa, Barcelona, and Valencia and feeder services from Naples and Livorno. Draft restrictions also remain at Salerno and Livorno. For Canada-bound cargo, demand from North Europe remains strong but low water levels are reducing capacity on CAE. Space to Canada’s West Coast is also limited by Pacific network constraints. Routing via Montreal with an inland connection to Pitt Meadows provides an alternative for suitable shipments. Shippers are encouraged to plan their bookings 3–4 weeks ahead for better schedule reliability.
- Transpacific updates: The Asia-North America market continues to experience strong demand despite elevated terminal waiting times following recent typhoon-related disruptions in Asia. Although conditions have improved across the wider network, intermittent delays may still affect some trade lanes. Read Maersk’s East Asia advisory for further updates With seasonal demand anticipated to increase in December ahead of Lunar New Year 2027, customers should review shipment forecasts and secure their bookings early.
- Intra-Americas updates: Maersk’s CLX and NAE coverage at Paita (Peru) has resumed for the country’s grape export season, providing a scheduled 14-day transit to Philadelphia and Monday arrivals that can support early-week distribution planning. Additional seasonal coverage is also being developed to support grape exports from southern Peru. Shippers moving perishable commodities are advised to coordinate seasonal requirements in advance and review available service options.
- Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) update: Despite the seasonal easing, demand remains relatively strong. Congestion at Colombo is expected to continue through the month, potentially affecting cargo transit times and connection planning. Customers are advised to confirm transshipment timing and allow sufficient flexibility for shipments moving through affected hubs.
- Africa–North America corridor updates: Seasonal commodity movements are supporting demand. In West Africa, cut-flower volumes are putting pressure on available space while East Africa continues to see strong apparel and textile volumes ahead of the holidays. South Africa is transitioning from citrus exports towards grape season. We advise sharing shipment forecasts and booking early so our teams can review available space and routing options.
For shipment-specific updates, please review your booking and current sailing schedules on Maersk.com or speak with your Maersk representative directly.
Air Freight Update
AI-related goods now account for nearly 30% of all U.S. air import volumes by weight, reaching 29.7% in Q2 2026, up from 27.4% in Q1 2026. After holding at roughly 17–22% from 2022 through 2024, the share has climbed sharply from approximately 19% at the start of 2025, reflecting the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure and data center capacity across the country. While AI-related goods led to the increase, non-AI goods also saw solid demand based on the latest Q3 data. Global air freight demand excluding low-value goods grew by approximately 9% to 11% year over year, while North American imports increased approximately 20% in July and August. AI-related cargo led the increase, but demand for non-AI goods also remained solid.
AI is no longer just a software story. It is a physical supply chain story, built on semiconductors, servers, networking equipment, power and cooling systems, and data center infrastructure, much of it moving by air.
The effects reach well beyond technology shippers. As AI-related cargo takes up more premium capacity on key Asia–North America trade lanes, companies in automotive, industrial, healthcare, retail, and other industries may also face tighter capacity and greater rate volatility. AI is an important driver of air freight growth, but it isn’t the only one. Fuel costs, trade policy changes, and geopolitical developments continue to affect capacity, routing, and transit times.
As peak season continues, shippers moving time-sensitive or high-value inventory should plan ahead:
- Secure capacity commitments early, especially on Asia–North America lanes.
- Diversify routing options to reduce exposure to congested gateways.
- Share forecasts with your logistics partners so capacity can be planned proactively.
- Build flexibility into inventory strategies to absorb capacity constraints and transit-time variability through the holiday period.
Contact your Maersk representative to discuss your air freight plans for the season ahead. Contact your Maersk representative to discuss your air freight plans for the season ahead.
