Ocean freight rates retreat as tariff uncertainty freezes import demand

  Last week (July 5-11) was defined by the transition from temporary, emergency U.S. surcharges toward a permanent, investigation-justified centralized trade architecture. The USTR’s launch of public hearings for the 60-nation forced labor tariffs signaled that Washington will lock in a new double-digit baseline duty structure before its temporary Section 122 fees expire. This unyielding