Summary of the ocean freight market update in November• Suez Canal uncertainty continues to add volatility on Asia–Europe trade lanes; full resumption would gradually reduce rates but may cause port congestion during network realignment. - Drewry
• 2026 shipping outlook favors shippers: excess vessel capacity + weak demand = more competitive carrier pricing and improved contract terms.
• Carriers expected to invest more in AI, visibility tools, and flexible contracting.• Global container freight (early 2026): Overcapacity and slow demand growth create a buyer’s market; US imports pressured by tariffs, shifting trade flows toward Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Potential disruptions from US restocking cycles and Red Sea instability.
• US tariff exemptions on ~200 Chinese products extended until 10 November 2026, reflecting progress in US–China trade negotiations. - RVIA
Energy Price - November 2025
20 October 2025 = USD61.01
20 November 2025 = USD63.59
• Global energy employment hit 76 Mio. in 2024, up 5 million from 2019; energy job growth (2.2%) nearly twice the global average. Bottlenecks persist in skilled labor. - IEA
• EIA forecast: Crude oil prices expected to fall through late 2025 and average $55/barrel in 2026 due to rising inventories and production outpacing demand. - USEIA
• US oil production forecast raised slightly to 13.6 Mio. b/d in 2025–2026. - USEIA
Corporate and Geopolitical Energy Developments
• ExxonMobil and Chevron competing to take over Lukoil’s Iraq assets at the major West Qurna-2 oilfield; Iraq commits to negotiating exclusively with US firms to strengthen ties with the US administration. - MEES
• US DOE grants $400 Mio. to TVA for deployment of GE Hitachi’s BWRX-300 SMR, aiming for the first US commercial small modular reactor in the early 2030s, accelerating next-generation nuclear technology. - Global Energy WorldOcean freight trends - Europe (....)