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The freight market has seen signs of recovery in early 2025, but new waves of uncertainty are clouding the outlook for the rest of the year. According to ITS Logistics’ April Supply Chain Report, recent tariff announcements and shifting global trade dynamics are generating fresh volatility; impacting everything from cross-border drayage to warehousing and flatbed operations.
At the heart of the issue is a ripple effect caused by policy changes, particularly tariffs introduced by the Trump administration in early April, and the uncertainty that has followed. These measures have triggered swift reactions across industries, pushing businesses to rethink their logistics strategies in real time.
For much of the first quarter, U.S. ports enjoyed rising import volumes as companies rushed to front-load inventory. But that growth came to a halt following the administration’s April 4 announcement of reciprocal tariffs. Almost overnight, global ocean container bookings dropped by a staggering 49%. The sharp decline points to what ITS Logistics describes as a looming “cliff event,” with ripple effects expected across domestic freight operations.
This hesitancy, and the slowdown in international freight is now creeping inland, creating new layers of uncertainty for both shippers and carriers.
Tariff-driven disruptions are also playing out in the spot market. For example, dry van spot market volumes from Toronto to Chicago surged by 57% in late February as shippers rushed to get goods across the border ahead of tariffs. Spot rates in the same lane rose by 7% during that period.
Similarly, U.S.-Canada spot rates climbed 18% on average since the U.S. election and an additional 6% in late March, reaching their highest levels in two years. But with a tariff now in effect on Canadian imports, many expect a sharp drop in cross-border shipping volumes.
In a freight landscape shaped by abrupt policy shifts and global market realignments, shippers are finding it increasingly difficult to plan and execute their logistics strategies. The volatility is likely to persist as businesses navigate not just the immediate impact of tariffs, but also the longer-term implications for global supply chains and domestic freight capacity.
During times like these, agility becomes a competitive advantage.
That’s where a solution like Portex can make a tangible difference. By offering streamlined quoting, bidding, tracking, and performance analytics – all in one platform – Portex equips shippers with the tools they need to stay nimble, even when external conditions are anything but stable.
Whether it’s adjusting to sudden cost changes, monitoring carrier performance in real time, or quickly re-routing shipments, Portex helps midsize shippers maintain control and optimize their freight spend in an unpredictable market.
