With over 75% of 2025 already done, and 2026 on the horizon, it’s easy to miss developments in the shipping industry these days. After all, 2025 has been a very busy year for shipping and trade. From time to time at MoreThanShipping.com, we like to recap some of the biggest stories in shipping for our readers.
Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Deal Agreed To
Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Gaza had finally reached a ceasefire deal after two years of war. Trump plans to fly to the Middle East to finalize the deal. A true ceasefire, after many promising developments that never yielded a deal, will be watched closely by the shipping industry.
If the violence truly ends, the Red Sea shipping route may become safe again, and shippers may no longer need to travel around the Cape of Africa to complete their voyages. Already, the head of the Suez Canal is already anticipating the end of the war to be a boon for the Suez Canal, which was also plagued by delays several years ago when a massive container ship got stuck in the canal.
The deal still needs to be formally signed, but all signs have pointed to it being completed as of yesterday, with only minor details to be worked out.
China Flexes Its Muscle on “Rare Earth” Metal Trade
Amid the struggles for China to reach a comprehensive deal on tariffs with the U.S. government, China is flexing its economic muscle by increasing strict controls on the exports of rare Earth metals. The metals in question are used in everything from cellphones to AI data centers to televisions and more, as they are crucial to semiconductors.
China today announced new rules that will take effect December 1, 2025, using the guise of national security to limit exports. Specifically, China says it will prohibit exporting rare Earth metals to “military suppliers”, which in practice can apply to nearly any Western company if determined by the Chinese government.
It is likely that China is making the move in order to pressure the U.S. further on rolling back strict tariffs on Chinese exports.
U.S. Import Volumes Decrease in September
U.S. import volume dropped in September, with possible economic headwinds at play, according to new economic reports. Descartes, a shipping analytics provider, noted that U.S. imports of containerized goods decreased by 8.4% in September 2025 versus September 2024 with just over 2.31 million containers handled this year. The volume, while still high, raises questions about the U.S. economy and its strength headed into 2026.
Independent analysis from financial powerhouse Deutsche Bank also noted that U.S. economic growth was being kept afloat by the AI industry. If the U.S. economy contracts further, it could affect shipping demand on a more macro level and possibly affect the tariff war by suppressing demand.
We will continue to keep you updated with the latest developments in shipping and logistics as they occur, and provide more insights into these and other stories in the near future.
