US Logistics Update [Jan 24, 2026]-English

• A winter storm bringing record-breaking cold temperatures is expected to hit most of North America, including the U.S. and Canada, starting Saturday the 24th, raising concerns about widespread disruptions to logistics infrastructure. The U.S. National Weather Service has issued Ice Storm, Winter Storm, Extreme Cold, and Freeze warnings for most of the United States, excluding parts of the West and South. It is projected that approximately 200 million people across 18 major U.S. states could be directly or indirectly affected. Airlines have canceled approximately 9,000 flights over the weekend alone, including international routes. This storm, originating in the southern Rocky Mountains, is expected to move through the Midwest (near Atlanta) to the Northeast (New York) and persist for several days, significantly increasing the likelihood of widespread power outages and road closures. Key trunk highways like I-20 and I-85 are within the storm's path, making truck operation suspensions and detours unavoidable. This could cause lead times to be delayed by at least 24 to 48 hours. Fallen trees breaking power lines are also feared to cause large-scale blackouts. Railways also face significant risks of heavy snow and flooding on major routes in the Northwest and Midwest, raising concerns about major disruptions to intermodal connections and links to import/export terminals.

• The Kiel Institute for the World Economy (Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft) in Germany announced on the 19th that its report, “America's Own Goal: Who Pays the Tariffs?”, analyzed approximately 25 million trade data points worth about $4 trillion from January 2024 to November 2025. The analysis revealed that U.S. consumers and importers bore 96% of the tariff costs. The report explained that exporters absorbed only 4% of the burden, indicating tariffs functioned more as a “de facto consumption tax” imposed on imported goods within the U.S. rather than a tax paid by foreign producers. In other words, last year's $200 billion in tariff revenue was almost entirely borne by Americans, which will lead to inflationary pressure. The report asserted that “the claim tariffs are passed on to foreign countries is a myth.”

Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated in a CNBC interview at the World Economic Forum

(WEF) that the impact of the Trump administration's tariffs is beginning to be reflected in U.S. retail

prices. He explained that while retailers had previously weathered the tariff shock by stockpiling

inventory, most of that stockpile was depleted around last fall. Consequently, rising costs for new

orders are now being passed on to consumers through higher prices. This admission is drawing

attention as Jassy had previously stated that “prices haven't risen significantly” due to past tariffs,

but now publicly acknowledges that price increases are beginning.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court did not rule on the legality of President Trump's tariff measures

on Tuesday, the 20th, pushing the decision to after February 20th. This is because the Court is

entering a four-week recess. Therefore, a conclusion is unlikely before February 20.

• The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported that U.S. GDP for the third quarter of 2025 grew at an annualized rate of 4.4%, slightly exceeding the preliminary estimate (4.3%) and marking the highest growth rate since the third quarter of 2023, reflecting the U.S. economy's continued strong growth momentum. In detail, private consumption, the backbone of U.S. GDP, increased by 3.5%, maintaining its fastest growth pace, while government spending also rebounded to 2.2%. However, fixed investment, including AI equipment investment, grew only 0.8%, significantly slowing compared to the second quarter (4.4%).

• North American Vessel Dwell Times     

• FMC Launches Second Investigation into Alleged Trucker Chassis Choice Restrictions

  The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has launched a second investigation into whether shipping companies are restricting truckers' and shippers' chassis selection rights, drawing industry attention. This is the second investigation since the FMC issued an order in 2024 prohibiting shipping companies from mandating specific chassis. The probe will examine whether carriers are exclusively designating particular chassis providers, whether those providers have sufficient chassis supply capacity, the compensation methods for chassis split costs incurred by truckers, and the transparency of fee structures at the LA–Long Beach Pool of Pools. Truckers complain that “free chassis provision” clauses in some shipper contracts effectively function as forced use of shipping company-designated chassis. This frequently causes chassis shortages at inland rail terminals, containers being loaded onto the wrong chassis, increased dwell time, and that “free” chassis actually result in hidden costs and inefficiencies. The industry is calling for a more flexible and efficient chassis system.

• Trucking Industry Strongly Opposes Tighter Non-Domiciled CDL Regulations

  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has significantly tightened the criteria for issuing non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). With projections indicating that over 90% of the current approximately 200,000 non-resident CDL holders will lose their eligibility, the industry is voicing strong opposition, expressing serious concerns about major transportation disruptions. The non-domiciled CDL system allows individuals to obtain a U.S. commercial vehicle driver's license in a state where they do not actually reside. Many foreign workers benefit from this system to work in the trucking industry. However, the new regulations would limit CDL issuance to only certain groups, such as E-2 investor visa holders. The industry fears that a large-scale departure of these workers, already facing severe labor shortages, would inevitably lead to a reduction in truck supply and increased freight rates. Although the regulation's implementation is currently suspended by court order, concerns persist that its enforcement, following restrictions on driver's licenses for non-native English speakers, could trigger a trucking crisis.

• U.S. CPSC Mandates eFiling of Consumer Product Certificates (Effective July 8, 2026)

  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will require electronic filing (eFiling) of product certificate information at the time of U.S. entry for consumer products subject to CPSC regulations starting July 8, 2026. Customers importing CPSC-regulated items should take note. For CPSC-regulated products entering Free Trade Zones (FTZs), the eFiling requirement is scheduled to take effect on January 8, 2027. Once implemented, this system is expected to significantly increase the likelihood of customs delays or holds due to missing or erroneous certificate data. Therefore, advance preparation is necessary, including confirming CPSC regulation status, verifying certificate data accuracy, and establishing submission processes. The items subject to this new requirement primarily include toys, clothing, household goods, and furniture.

• FedEx Freight Announces 10-Member Board of Directors…Spin-off Process Begins in Earnest

  FedEx officially announced the 10-member board of directors for FedEx Freight on the 18th, ahead of its independent listing on June 1st, marking the full-scale launch of the spin-off process. The LTL market is facing overall difficulties due to slowing demand in 2025-26, and FedEx Freight is also experiencing reduced revenue and profits due to declining demand and high-rate policies. Nevertheless, FedEx emphasized that “the spin-off will proceed as planned.” After the spin-off, FedEx Freight is expected to emerge as a major player in the LTL market, becoming North America's largest operator with 26,000 doors and 355 terminals, intensifying competition with rivals like YRC, XPO, Old Dominion, and Saia. This is anticipated to have positive effects for customers, such as shippers, including increased bargaining power regarding rates and contract terms.

• USPS Opens 18,000 DDUs… Expected to Shift E-Commerce Last-Mile Landscape

  The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced on the 20th the official launch of a bidding platform opening approximately 18,000 Delivery-Direct-to-Unit (DDU) locations nationwide to private operators, drawing industry attention. While direct access to USPS DDUs was previously limited to a handful of large companies, this move allows small and medium-sized businesses to participate equally by proposing volume, pricing, and delivery time conditions. Notably, this bidding process involves companies counter-proposing service and pricing terms to USPS for each individual DDU. Submissions begin in January-February 2026, with winners selected in Q2 and services launching in Q3. USPS stated it can provide same-day or next-day delivery services to winning bidders. This means e-commerce companies in cosmetics, beauty, and other sectors can achieve delivery speeds rivaling FedEx and UPS through DDU direct placement, along with significant shipping cost savings, enabling groundbreaking improvements in customer service. This is expected to yield significant benefits, including a substantial reduction in last-mile delivery costs (which account for 50% of total logistics expenses), faster overall logistics (including returns), increased purchase rates, and reduced inventory risk. The improved logistics speed is particularly advantageous for skincare and cosmetics companies dealing with time-sensitive products.