Netherlands

Manufacturing

EU €3 tariff cuts Asia-Europe air cargo 24% in 5 weeks

Freighter capacity into Europe dropped 14% month-on-month in July 2026, equaling 18 fewer widebody flights daily, following the EU’s €3 customs duty on parcels under €150 introduced 1 July. Hong Kong–Europe air cargo volumes plunged 24% year-on-year by mid-July, with five straight weekly declines. Tonnages from mainland China fell 10% YoY; combined China–Hong Kong volumes to Europe dropped 11% YoY across weeks 26–29. Vietnam and Thailand saw 9% and 11% YoY declines respectively. A €2 handling fee takes effect 1 November 2026, ahead of the EU Customs Data Hub launch in 2028.

2026-07-29

Manufacturing

Container spot rates fall gently: Shanghai-Rotterdam at $4,824

Container spot rates continue declining gently across major east-west trades, with Shanghai-Rotterdam falling to $4,824 per 40ft and Shanghai-Genoa dropping 5% to $5,988. Transpacific routes also softened: Shanghai-LA fell 6% to $5,878, while Shanghai-NYC dropped 4% to $7,598. Drewry reports four blanked sailings scheduled next week on Asia–Europe — two more than last week — reflecting active capacity management. Forwarders cite disciplined carrier allocation and clearing roll pools in Chinese ports, though Typhoon Bavi caused recent port disruptions. New US tariff policy clarity is expected to drive booking behavior over the next 1–2 weeks.

2026-07-25

Procurement

Leidos, DHL ink alliance to bid for UK MOD’s 10-year defense logistics contract

Leidos and DHL Supply Chain have formed the Logistics & Mission Support Alliance to bid for the UK Ministry of Defence’s 10-year Future Defence Support Services (FDSS) contract, launching in Q2 2026. The partnership integrates Leidos’ defense systems expertise with DHL’s global logistics scale and digital capabilities—including AI, data analytics, and automation—to enhance supply chain resilience, visibility, and agility across over 40 UK military sites. Adam Clarke, CEO of Leidos UK & Europe, and Martin Willmor, CEO of DHL Supply Chain UK&I, jointly emphasized data-driven decision-making and rapid response capacity in contested environments. The MOD aims to replace legacy logistics frameworks established in 2014.

2026-07-22

Supply Chain

APAC-Europe air cargo volumes drop 15% year on year

Air cargo volumes between Asia Pacific and Europe fell 15% year on year in early July 2026, driven by the EU’s 1 July introduction of a €3 customs duty on low-value parcels — ending the de minimis exemption. Hong Kong volumes dropped 23% year on year; China’s fell 15%; Taiwan’s declined 24% week on week, worsened by typhoon Bavi. The EU policy, agreed in December 2025 for parcels under €150, aims to bridge gaps until the EU Customs Data Hub launches in 2028. No frontloading occurred ahead of the rule change — unlike prior U.S. tariff deadlines.

2026-07-21

Europe Supply Chain

FedEx spends $54M to expand Dutch truck hub for air cargo strategy

FedEx is investing $54 million to expand its Duiven, Netherlands, trucking hub — increasing dock doors to 265 and boosting palletized freight capacity by over 50%. The move supports its integrated truck-fly-truck model for premium deferred air cargo, targeting the $22 billion premium segment where it holds 12% market share. The expansion follows the June 2026 spin-off of FedEx Freight and reflects a broader industry shift toward air-road hybrid logistics for pharmaceuticals, perishables, and electronics.

2026-07-18

Digital Platforms

Green Project acquires Optera to unify carbon accounting platform

Green Project Technologies acquired Optera on July 15, 2026, to build an AI-powered climate management platform unifying carbon accounting and supply chain decarbonization. The deal follows Green Project’s 2025 acquisition of Emitwise and its June 2026 acquisition of Zeroute. It responds to tightening regulations including California’s SB 253, the EU’s CSRD, and CBAM — all converting voluntary sustainability reporting into legal mandates by 2026–2027. Scope 3 emissions remain the largest disclosure and mitigation challenge, and Sam Stark, CEO of Green Project, stated the new platform moves enterprises “from measurement to action.” Green Project operates under Dutch parent ACT Group.

2026-07-17

ESG & Regulation

Shein and Temu bypass EU’s €3 customs duty with EU inventory

The EU’s new €3 per-tariff-line customs duty, effective 1 July 2026, was preemptively neutralized by Shein and Temu through large-scale inventory relocation into the EU. By operating at least five fulfillment hubs across Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland—and investing over €1 billion in EU logistics infrastructure since 2024—they avoid the charge entirely. DHL, FedEx, and UPS warned in May 2026 that the rule risks border bottlenecks, while Lufthansa Cargo inked an SAF agreement with Shein in August 2025. France attempted enforcement action in November 2025, yet the platforms’ physical presence has strengthened their competitive position in European e-commerce logistics.

2026-07-12

AI & Automation

30 EU Trailer Makers Demand 2026 CO₂ Rule Review

Thirty European trailer manufacturers have jointly petitioned the European Commission and Parliament to urgently revise Regulation (EU) 2024/1610, citing flaws in the VECTO emissions simulation methodology. They warn the current rules—set to impose €4,250 penalties per gCO₂/tkm above target from 2030—could paradoxically increase emissions by forcing designs that reduce loading capacity, triggering more trips and empty runs. With 70,000 jobs at stake, they demand moving the Article 15 review forward from 2027 to 2026, phasing in fleet targets from 1 July 2030, suspending penalties, overhauling VECTO to reflect zero-emission tractor adoption, and aligning targets with actual technology deployment—specifically eliminating levies once zero-emission tractors reach 70% market share.

2026-07-07

AI & Automation

Container rates rise 7% on Shanghai-Rotterdam leg to $4,682

Container freight spot rates rose sharply on major east-west routes as carriers implemented price hikes on 1 July, with the Shanghai-Rotterdam leg climbing 7% week on week to $4,682 per 40ft. While transpacific rates surged 10–11%—driven by US importer front-loading ahead of HMM’s $3,000 PSS surcharge—the Asia-Europe market shows signs of peaking: SCFI rates flattened to North Europe, MSC’s FAK rates rose only $200 between 1 and 15 July, and forwarders report early discounts for 6 July bookings. Xeneta data shows transpacific capacity hit an all-time high, with spot rates up 253% versus late February. Analysts expect softening through August as rolled cargo clears.

2026-07-06

Disruptions

Global truck driver shortage hits 2.9 million, Europe at 13%

A new IRU report documents a global truck driver shortage of 2.9 million — 11% of the total workforce — across 18 markets. Europe faces the steepest gap at 13% (502,000 positions), with 65% of operators naming it their top concern. Demographic pressures loom large: 20% of Europe’s drivers and 24% of Australia’s are expected to retire within five years. Small operators (<50 employees) report shortage rates 6 percentage points higher than large firms. The report stresses that wage increases alone are insufficient; cab conditions, secure parking, time at home, and predictable schedules now drive retention. IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto calls for government-industry coordination to transform driving into a sustainable career path.

2026-07-02

ESG & Regulation

83% of Firms Say Cross-Border Ops More Complex Amid CBAM

Avalara's analysis reveals 83% of business leaders find cross-border operations more complex than a year ago, citing tariffs, VAT shifts, and sustainability mandates like the EU's CBAM. Regulatory missteps now trigger shipment delays, penalties, and reputational harm — with 49% naming post-entry regulatory change as their top cross-border risk. Businesses spend 11% of cross-border revenue on compliance, while 87% deploy AI in trade operations. The report urges breaking down silos, centralizing infrastructure, and embedding sustainability into sourcing and duty calculations — especially ahead of 2026 CBAM deadlines.

2026-06-29

ESG & Regulation

FishEUTrust launches €4.6M blockchain seafood traceability platform

The EU-funded FishEUTrust project launched a €4.6M blockchain-based seafood traceability platform integrating IoT sensors, genomics, nutritional analytics, and digital product passports. Coordinated by Nives Ogrinc of Slovenia’s Jožef Stefan Institute, it ran from June 2022 to May 2026 across five living labs in Spain, Denmark, Malta, Croatia, and Portugal. The system verifies species authenticity, monitors freshness and contaminants, calculates CO₂ footprints, and introduces a 'health nutritional index' — all accessible via QR code. Consumer engagement included immersive shopping simulations, school programmes, and UN Ocean Decade collaborations.

2026-06-27