US Logistics Update [Sep 27, 2025]-English

• The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on the 25th that the final figure for the second quarter's U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was 3.8%. This figure represents a 0.5 percentage point upward revision from the preliminary estimate (3.3%) and marks the highest growth rate in seven quarters since the third quarter of 2023 (4.7%). The U.S. economy continues to thrive despite a temporary -0.6% decline in first-quarter growth due to a surge in imports caused by tariffs. Notably, the growth rate of private spending (personal consumption, investment, etc.), the backbone of the U.S. economy, improved significantly to 2.9%, far exceeding the preliminary estimate of 1.9%. This suggests that the second quarter's growth momentum was not merely a rebound from reduced imports, but rather that the economy's underlying strength, centered on personal consumption, remains robust. Many experts had previously expressed concerns about an economic slowdown due to tariffs, but these results render those concerns irrelevant.

Meanwhile, the OECD forecasts a “surprise growth” of 3.2% for the global economy this year, 0.3

percentage points higher than the 2.9% projected three months ago, thanks to increased industrial

production and trade activity preceding the Trump administration's tariff impositions. The U.S. GDP

growth rate for this year has also been revised upward by 0.2 percentage points to 1.8%. However,

growth is projected to slow to 1.5% next year. Global economic growth for next year is expected to

be 2.9%.

• As the federal electric vehicle tax credit ($7,500) expires on the 30th, manufacturers are luring consumers with unprecedented price discounts and financing benefits to clear remaining inventory. Hyundai, Kia, Cadillac, Chrysler, Audi, and others are offering zero-interest financing, low lease rates, and cash bonuses. According to vehicle valuation specialist Kelly Blue Book, August EV sales reached a record high, accounting for 9.9% of total U.S. vehicle sales, and are expected to surpass this in September. However, the industry fears a sharp drop in sales after the tax credit expires.

• North American Vessel Dwell Times      

• Accelerated blank sailings on trans-Pacific routes… Carriers make all-out efforts to stem freight rate decline

  Carriers are making strenuous efforts to halt the sharp decline in freight rates as blank sailings have significantly increased on Asia→North America routes. According to Sea-Intelligence, the scale of capacity reduction in October expanded to 3.8%→13.6% for the US West Coast and 4.8%→14.4% for the US East Coast. eeSea expects approximately 17% of total Asia→North America supply to be canceled in October. Spot rates as of September 24 stood at $1,400/FEU for the West Coast and $2,433/FEU for the East Coast, down 30% and 20% respectively from early this month. Some carriers are now quoting below $1,350 for the West Coast and below $2,400 for the East Coast. Current rates are below the 2025-26 service contract rates ($2,000/FEU for West Coast, $3,000/FEU for East Coast) secured by mid-sized shippers in May, making it difficult for some carriers to even cover fixed costs. The industry views cancellations as likely to prevent further declines rather than trigger a short-term rebound. With peak season volumes shipped early, demand recovery is expected to be difficult for the time being.

• Amazon expands MCF external channels... Walmart, Shopify, SHEIN orders also fulfilled by Amazon

  Amazon announced at its ‘Accelerate’ seller conference that it is expanding the scope of its Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF) program to fulfill orders generated on competitor platforms Walmart, Shopify, and SHEIN, drawing significant industry attention. MCF is a program where Amazon's logistics team ships products on behalf of sellers, even if the purchase didn't occur on Amazon.com. This means consumers who buy from Walmart's marketplace can now receive packages processed through Amazon's fulfillment network. Amazon stated that sellers who added MCF saw benefits such as reduced stockouts, improved inventory turnover, and an average 19% increase in sales. Sellers can manage Amazon and non-Amazon orders through a single unified inventory pool, significantly improving efficiency. The industry interprets this as Amazon's strategy to standardize logistics beyond its own Marketplace to external channels.