Tag: Thomas Witt Transportation
DOJ Indicts Chinese Container Giants for Global Price-Fixing Cartel
The container shortage nightmare that paralyzed global shipping during the pandemic years wasn’t just bad luck. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it was at least partly a crime. On May 19, 2026, the DOJ unsealed a sweeping indictment accusing four of the world’s largest container manufacturers and seven executives of orchestrating a global…
Could Nuclear Power Be the Future of Commercial Shipping?
The U.S. government thinks so — at least enough to formally explore it. In May 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) launched an initiative to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) for commercial cargo ships, issuing a Request for Information and calling on shipbuilders, nuclear developers, and industry operators to weigh in on…
The Strait of Hormuz Crisis Won’t Be Over Anytime Soon
Even if a ceasefire happened today, normal shipping and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz would not return until late 2026 at the earliest—and more likely into early 2027. Shippers who are planning around a near-term resolution are building on a foundation that does not exist. Transportation consultant Thomas Witt has been tracking the…
Panama Canal Auction Prices Hit Record Highs in 2026
Sixty days ago, paying $4 million for a single canal transit slot would have sounded like a mistake. Today, it’s a real number—and it’s happening right now. As the Iran war’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz generates a seismic shift in global transportation flows, businesses have spent as much as $4 million for…
The Strait of Hormuz: A Global Shipping Crisis
The world’s most critical maritime chokepoint is effectively shut. Since late February 2026, the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global shipping lanes, has been at the center of the largest energy and shipping disruption in decades. For businesses moving goods internationally, the ripple effects are already being felt across…
China E-Commerce Drop Shifts Air Cargo Demand
For years, the explosive growth of ultra-low-cost Chinese retailers like Temu and Shein quietly became a backbone of global airfreight demand. Enormous volumes of small parcels moving from Chinese warehouses to doorsteps across Europe and North America kept air cargo networks humming. That era, at least for now, appears to be hitting a wall. What…
