Containerized freight continues to evolve amid geopolitical tensions, uncertainty around the Suez Canal, and fluctuating freight rates.
During our webinar on the outlook for container shipping in H2 2026, participants asked our experts a wide range of questions. Peak season trends, the Suez Canal reopening, the impact of geopolitical tensions, and operational constraints: these exchanges provided concrete answers to shippers' most pressing concerns.
Having covered our three main takeaways for H2 2026, we look here at some of the questions raised by participants, illustrating the practical concerns shippers face and which Jérôme de Ricqlès, Upply's liner shipping expert, addressed directly.
To go further, explore our white paper Our container shipping scenarios for H2 2026.
On the Europe – North America corridor, peak season appears to have already peaked. According to Jérôme de Ricqlès, the coming weeks should mainly reflect carriers' efforts to hold freight rates as high as possible for as long as possible, cushioning the expected slowdown.
On the Transpacific, Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) should ease quickly, by late July or early August, once the cargo rush is over.
At this stage, the prevailing scenario remains a continuation of H1.
Should the situation in the Middle East stabilize durably, a gradual return via the Suez Canal could begin from Q4 onward, mainly for 8,000 to 15,000 TEU vessels.
18,000 to 24,000 TEU vessels, on the other hand, are expected to keep using the Cape of Good Hope route for a longer period.
For Jérôme de Ricqlès, several levers can strengthen supply chain resilience:
developing nearshoring where possible;
diversifying production and sourcing locations;
supporting the shift from a just-in-time to a more just-in-case approach;
building up buffer stock on the most critical flows.
These measures don't eliminate risk, but they help absorb disruptions more effectively when they occur.
Beyond rate developments, several operational topics are now top of mind for shippers.
Some Benelux terminals are currently experiencing labor tensions, particularly around port automation. In this context, our expert recommends temporarily diversifying discharge ports, with traffic potentially rerouted to other North Sea ports. This issue does not, at this stage, affect calls at Dunkirk or Le Havre.
Between the United States and the Middle East, some carriers continue to refuse dangerous goods shipments. This is linked to trucking difficulties out of Jeddah and is not expected to change until direct vessel calls resume.
US authorities now have stronger tools to monitor transatlantic flows. Significant discrepancies on commercial invoices can automatically trigger checks, so shippers have every interest in being able to justify declared values precisely.
The questions raised during the webinar show that shippers' concerns go well beyond freight rate movements alone. They also touch on the operational consequences of geopolitical tensions, sourcing strategies, and the evolution of ocean freight services.
These answers complement our first article Container shipping: 3 key takeaways ahead of H2 2026,and offer concrete insight into the challenges shippers will face in the months ahead.
To go further, also check out our white paper, Our container shipping scenarios for H2 2026.