TAKEAWAYS
CROSS-BORDER TRADE 2025: GLASS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Ongoing geopolitical tensions, regulatory
In addition, Redwood’s data shows U.S.- Mexico trade up 4% YoY in April 2025, hitting $73.77 billion. Businesses are mitigating risk with inventory stockpiles, supplier diversification, and trade zone usage, the report notes. Half Empty: Mounting Headwinds Nearly half of retailers report negative tariff impacts; high shipping costs and customs delays are also major issues. Political instability, especially in Europe, adds further risk.
shifts, and rising costs continue to challenge global shippers. Two new reports—Asendia’s Beyond Borders and Redwood Logistics’ Q2 Cross Border Index —highlight a trade landscape marked by both opportunity and disruption.
Half Full: Growth Amid Complexity Retailers aren’t backing down from global ambitions. Asendia finds 72% of global retailers expect international ecommerce sales to grow in 2025. Strategic shifts reflect this optimism: • 35% of global retailers are investing in faster shipping and automation to stay competitive. • 33% have adopted “returnless returns” to cut costs and emissions. • Regional expansion is rising —U.S. brands eye Canada (47%) and South America (24%), while Chinese brands focus on East Asia (42%) and the Middle East (38%).
Redwood’s report warns of new disruptions: a U.S. order requiring English proficiency for Mexican truck drivers could worsen labor shortages and border delays. Plus, tariff policy volatility adds further complexity to already fragile supply chains.
Bottom line: Cross-border trade is still moving—but navigating it now requires more agility than ever.
PORTS HIT A CROSSROADS Global ocean shipping faces a paradox: while some ports show signs of efficiency gains, others remain major chokepoints, reveals Beacon’s latest Port Performance and Operations Report .
Overall port performance shows improvement, with shorter anchor waiting times and faster container movement. Notably, the Port of Savannah saw a 43% drop in anchorage waiting time, marking a major turnaround. Certain regions, however, still face operational setbacks. Chittagong (Bangladesh) emerged as the most congested port, with ships waiting nearly 69 hours. Other key regional findings include: Oceania leads with the most efficient port performance overall. Sub-Saharan Africa improved significantly, yet continues to struggle with the longest berth turnaround (2.5 days) and highest container dwell time (161 hours). Shanghai topped ship counts at anchorage (62), while Hong Kong saw an 88% drop. Several ports—including Barcelona, Oakland, and Busan—reported zero anchorage wait, signaling strong operational health. Djibouti, Seattle/Tacoma, and King Abdullah stood out for their resilience and efficiency across multiple performance metrics.
June 2025 • Inbound Logistics 15
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