Current Freight Market Conditions

If I order now, will my order arrive before the end of the 90-day pause ? 

The global shipping industry is experiencing a period of significant disruption as multiple factors converge to strain the availability of containers and bookings from Europe to the US.  The first half of 2025 has been defined by French strikes, tariffs, inclement weather in Spain, ongoing conflict in the Red Sea, and March Steamship Alliance restructuring.

In May and June, availability will be impacted by numerous European public holidays, national strike action in Antwerp, and an increase in order volume across all commodities, as businesses rush to avoid future tariff adjustments in July.

Our purchase order volumes have surged significantly, nearly doubling year-over-year over the past two comparable weeks. The surge in new order volume is projected to cause a mismatch between demand and port loading capacity.

European ports can only handle a limited number of vessel loads per week, and even brief spikes in order activity will lead to longer and more staggered delivery schedules.  As more importers finalize their plans and rush to book space during the tariff pause, subsequent bookings are likely to encounter bottlenecks and degraded timelines.

Complicating the European tariff situation, the ongoing activity in the Red Sea has dramatically extended transit times across key shipping routes.  The detour needed to avoid the Red Sea adds approximately 3,500 nautical miles to voyages between Asia and Europe, extending transit times by 10-14 days and significantly increasing operational costs.

The extended journey times absorb a significant amount of vessel capacity, effectively removing 10-15% of global container ships from circulation. European ports experienced vessel bunching & congestion as rescheduled ships arrived outside their planned windows. This disruption caused equipment imbalances, with containers piling up in Europe while becoming scarce in Asia.  To compensate for higher fuel costs and lower service frequency, carriers implemented substantial surcharges on transatlantic routes. While not directly affected geographically, US-Europe trade lanes experienced reduced vessel availability as ships were redeployed to more profitable routes in Asia.

Elenteny continues to work with our vendors to find creative solutions, ensuring our orders are prioritized and shipped as quickly as possible. With the increased volume and upcoming European holidays, we recommend ordering now to ensure inventory arrives prior to the end of the 90 day pause. 

Below is the number of cases still needed from each origin BEFORE we close the doors on the next sailing.

South America to New York:  900 Cases 

Germany to New York:  Building a New Container 

Austria to New York:  Building a New Container 

Portugal to New York:   Building a New Container  

Spain to OAK:  950 Cases 

France to OAK:  950  Cases 

France to North Carolina:  Building a New Container 

Italy to North Carolina:  Building a New Container 

We also operate the following frequent services:

• France to NY – Multiple Containers per Week

• Italy to NY – Multiple Containers per Week

• Spain to NY –  Bi-monthly

How Bonded Warehouses Work

A bonded warehouse is a secure facility regulated by customs authorities where imported goods can be stored without immediately paying duties or taxes.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office, “A Customs bonded warehouse is a building or other secured area in which imported dutiable merchandise may be stored, manipulated, or undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty for up to 5 years from the date of importation.”  More information can be found here 

Importers benefit through deferred tax payments, potential duty avoidance on re-exported goods, and the ability to inspect, repackage, or perform light manufacturing while maintaining bonded status.  More commentary can be found here

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