US Logistics Update [Feb 7, 2026]-English

• Alphabet (Google's parent company), Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft (MS) – the four major U.S. Big Tech companies – are projected to collectively invest approximately $650 billion in capital expenditures (CapEx) for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure by 2026. This represents a roughly 60% increase year-over-year, with funding expected to focus on building and expanding data centers needed for AI model training and inference, as well as securing high-performance semiconductors (GPUs), servers and storage, networks (fiber optics and switches), and power and cooling equipment. The industry views this investment as comparable in scale and speed to the telecom infrastructure investment boom of the 1990s, with each of the four companies' annual spending potentially reaching their highest levels in the past decade. By company, Amazon has proposed $200 billion in CapEx for 2026, Alphabet $175-185 billion, and Meta $115-135 billion. Microsoft is also discussing around $100 billion annually on a fiscal year basis. Given that the combined investment of just these four companies exceeds the projected capital expenditures of many major U.S. manufacturing, transportation, energy, and retail conglomerates, AI infrastructure is increasingly viewed as effectively becoming ‘private-sector-led social overhead capital’. However, expanding data centers is placing pressure on power grids and water supply, potentially sparking community backlash, leading to growing risks around site selection, power procurement, and regulation. Regardless, 2026 is expected to see the ripple effects of AI investment spread even further beyond the tech industry into all sectors, including logistics.

• JOC reported on the 5th, citing DAT Freight & Analytics, that spot truck rates surged 40% compared to the previous week as the recent heavy snowstorms across the U.S. severely disrupted the trucking market. It further analyzed that dry van spot rates rose 11 cents in just seven days, while refrigerated rates climbed 15 cents, marking the largest short-term increase in three years. DAT explained that while this snowstorm caused supply chain disruptions comparable to the 2021 Texas blackout, the impact is far greater now because the spot market has even less spare capacity than it did then.

  The U.S. is currently experiencing a nationwide power outage affecting over 1 million households

and logistics disruptions as more than 20 states are blanketed in snow and ice amid a prolonged

cold snap following Winter Storm Fern. In key hubs like Chicago and Harrisburg, supply has dropped

by over 30% due to vehicle breakdowns from the extreme cold and drivers avoiding cold-weather

operations. Cancellation rates after booking have also surged to 12%. Particularly, explosive

demand driven by Super Bowl LX has caused California's flatbed volume to skyrocket by 30%

compared to the previous week and 200% year-over-year. With no truck supply available on Super

Bowl Sunday, the entire U.S. freight network is completely disrupted this week.

The industry is watching closely for the possibility that this chaos could lead to a prolonged freight

rate increase cycle similar to 2021. Multiple variables are poised to impact the market: increased

demand driven by President Trump's push for domestic factory construction, large-scale AI-related

equipment investments, and related needs; coupled with supply constraints like restrictions on non-

resident CDL issuance.

• North American Vessel Dwell Times        

• NY–NJ Port: First Layoffs After Tightening Absenteeism Enforcement… Labor-Management Standoff Intensifies

  The Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey (SANYNJ), the port employers' group, announced that shipping terminals in the New York and New Jersey port area have laid off five long-term unauthorized absentees based on new contract provisions. While a small number compared to the total 4,400 ILA union members, employers stated, “Absenteeism rates have halved since the new rules took effect,” indicating the policy is already showing results. The NY–NJ ports have a structure where equipment and layouts differ across six terminals, creating high dependency on specific personnel. Chronic absenteeism—particularly Monday absences following high-paying weekend shifts—has long been identified as a major cause of productivity loss. The new contract significantly tightens disciplinary procedures: reducing the allowable number of unexcused absences to three per month, applying a 1.5-day penalty for absences immediately following weekends or holidays, and issuing warnings starting from the first absence. It also includes an annual target for each work gang to process one additional container, with a new clause stipulating that failing to meet this target requires transferring seniority to another gang. Employers report productivity improved by approximately 7% in the first year of implementation. This aligns with the ILA's long-standing strategy to resist port automation. An internal push has grown stronger, arguing that union members themselves must prove productivity to prevent automation. The tightened absence rules are seen as part of this trend. Employers emphasized, “To prevent automation, people must show up on time.” Industry observers view these layoffs less as a numerical figure and more as a signal of shifting power dynamics unique to the NY–NJ port, where unions, employers, productivity, and automation intersect.

• India aims to strengthen long-distance shipping capabilities by establishing BCSL... plans to secure 51 vessels initially

  The Indian government is accelerating the launch of state-owned container shipping line Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL) to reduce reliance on foreign carriers. The government is pushing an initial investment of approximately $6.9 billion through a consortium of six state-owned enterprises, including existing national carrier SCI. The initial plan is to establish a fleet of 51 vessels, with plans to expand to over 400 vessels thereafter. India's export sector, which experienced significant freight rate volatility and vessel shortages during the pandemic, warmly welcomes this move. Currently, SCI is effectively the only Indian-flagged container shipping company, but its long-haul capability is limited to just two aging vessels, giving it minimal market influence. The industry anticipates that whether BCSL can secure competitiveness in long-haul services without network cooperation with global carriers will be a key point to watch.

• Maersk CEO Warns “Supply Surplus Shock Inevitable in 2026”... Freight Rate Pressure Despite Gemini Effect

  Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc stated during the 2025 earnings call that while the Gemini Cooperation has delivered clear results in improving network efficiency and reducing costs, an industry-wide supply surplus of 4-8% is unavoidable in 2026. He warned that if new vessel deliveries and the normalization of Suez Canal operations occur simultaneously, “pressure on freight rates will immediately intensify.” While Maersk maintained an annual profit in 2025, its container division recorded a $153 million loss in Q4, marking its first quarterly loss in two years. Cargo volume increased by 8%, but average freight rates fell 23% year-on-year. The company also announced plans to cut approximately 1,000 headquarters staff this year, representing about 15% of its headquarters workforce.  The Gemini collaboration alone delivered over $300 million in cost savings in Q4 2025, with an annual savings target of $820 million to $1.1 billion. CEO Claes projected that even if global container demand grows 2-4% in 2026, increased supply will outpace it, potentially causing Maersk to record an operating loss of up to $1.5 billion. Clair's remarks suggest that cost savings from Gemini are insufficient to offset the market's structural oversupply, making it highly likely the global shipping market will enter a phase of downward pressure on freight rates after 2026.

• Air cargo from Asia to the US shows regional divergence amid heavy snowfall... Short-term uptrend ahead of Lunar New Year

  The air cargo market from Asia to the US is showing contrasting trends by region, with backlogs from heavy US snowfall yet to be resolved. China-origin shipments are seeing simultaneous increases in demand and freight rates ahead of the Lunar New Year. South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam face tight supply conditions as congestion caused by increased demand and the snowstorm persists into this week. Malaysia and Thailand have sufficient supply but experience delays due to transit hub capacity shortages. Overall, pre-Lunar New Year rush demand makes continued freight rate increases and delays inevitable for the time being.