 |
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Progress on Automatic IEEPA Refund System: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues to develop the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), its automated IEEPA tariff refund system. Per the latest progress update CBP provided to the Court of International Trade (CIT) on March 19, CBP has made modest progress since the previous week’s report. |
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As of March 19, the claim portal is now 73% complete, up from 70% on March 12; the mass processing component is 45% complete, up from 40%; the refund component is 63% complete, up from 60%; and the review and liquidation/reliquidation component is still 80% complete. |
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CBP is expected to provide another progress update to the CIT on March 31, 2026. CBP indicated on March 6 that the full CAPE system would likely be ready to accept claims within 45 days, or April 20. |
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CIT Broadens IEEPA Refund Order: On March 20, the CIT broadened the scope of its order directing CBP to provide IEEPA tariff refunds. The order now includes the additional IEEPA tariffs that the Trump administration had levied on Brazil and India last August. The CIT’s initial order on March 4 had covered the IEEPA duties included in the scope of the Supreme Court ruling: reciprocal tariffs and “fentanyl” tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico. |
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As CBP continues to ready its automatic IEEPA refund system, importers should take action as soon as possible. Confirm Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) access; calculate your total refund amount with Flexport’s Tariff Refund Calculator; and leverage Flexport’s Audit Your Customs Broker to automatically audit your entries, identify tariff stacking issues, and estimate duties you may have overpaid. Additionally, be sure to file protests as soon as possible to keep your entries “live” and ensure they remain eligible for refunds. |
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Department of Commerce to Accept New Section 232 Auto Part Inclusion Requests: On April 1, the Department of Commerce will open another two-week window for requests to add new products to the scope of Section 232 auto part tariffs. The Department of Commerce will accept requests through April 14, after which it will launch a public comment period. |
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The precise timeline for the inclusions process is currently unclear. The Trump administration has completed one other inclusions process—for derivative products it added to the scope of Section 232 steel and aluminum duties—which spanned about three and a half months, from the initial request for inclusions to the implementation of additional duties. |
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A Potential Increase in Section 122 Tariffs: Peter Navarro, the White House’s Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, stated on March 25 that the Section 122 tariff rate is still set to increase from 10% to 15%. When asked about the timeline, Navarro did not provide specifics. |
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The Trump administration had previously stated that the duty would rise to 15%, the highest possible Section 122 duty rate. One day after the Supreme Court ruling against IEEPA tariffs, President Trump announced the increased Section 122 duty on Truth Social, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on March 4 that the increase would likely take effect that week. However, since its implementation on February 24, the rate has remained at 10%. |
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Section 301 Tariff Actions: On March 12, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launched new Section 301 investigations related to forced labor, targeting 60 different U.S. trading partners. Imports from these trading partners comprised more than 99% of U.S. imports in 2025. |
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One day prior, on March 11, the USTR initiated separate Section 301 investigations into 16 trading partners, related to “economies that appear to exhibit structural excess capacity and production in various manufacturing sectors, such as through large or persistent trade surpluses.” Some trading partners—including China, the EU, Vietnam, and others—are targeted by both investigations. |
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At the conclusion of each investigation, the USTR will present its findings and provide the president with its recommendations, which may include the imposition of tariffs. |
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Historically, timelines for Section 301 probes have generally ranged between 6 and 18 months before the recommendation phase, with tariffs typically implemented a few weeks later. It is possible that these investigations will proceed faster, given that the U.S.’s existing 10% Section 122 tariff is set to expire on July 24, 2026. |
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Other Potential Tariff Actions: |
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President Trump indicated after the Supreme Court ruling that his administration intends to open new Section 232 investigations, which could also lay the groundwork for new long-term tariffs. There are currently nine Section 232 investigations that are already open. |
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On March 18, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that the Trump administration may also leverage Section 338 to impose new duties. Section 338 authorizes the president to impose tariffs of up to 50% on imports from countries that discriminate against U.S. commerce. |
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Check out our blog to learn more about the statutory mechanisms that the Trump administration could leverage to levy new tariffs. |
TRANS-PACIFIC EASTBOUND (TPEB)
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Carriers have announced an uptick in blank sailings next month that will impact 6-10% of scheduled departures. |
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The Middle East conflict could lead to certain operational impacts on the TPEB: the diversion of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope on other trades may result in equipment shortages and congestion at major Asian hubs. |
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Carriers have implemented General Rate Increases (GRIs) for the remainder of March, and have also announced an additional April 1 GRI. |
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Carriers have introduced emergency fuel surcharges (EFSs) in response to spikes in bunker prices, as well as Inland Fuel Surcharges (IFSs) to cover increased diesel prices for intermodal movements. |
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Carriers have pushed Peak Season Surcharges (PSSs) to late April, given the implementation of EFSs and IFSs in April. |
FAR EAST WESTBOUND (FEWB)
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While import demand remains stable, effective vessel space is tight. Ongoing Cape of Good Hope reroutings following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have fully absorbed the market’s excess capacity, pushing vessel utilization above 90% in late March. |
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Singapore is bearing the brunt of redirected transshipment cargo. Yard utilization remains critically high at 90%, though average vessel wait times have slightly stabilized at 1.5 days as the port works through backlogs. |
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Rerouted mega-ships are arriving off schedule and bunching, overwhelming terminal infrastructure. Yard density levels are severe across Rotterdam (APMT MVII: 95%; RWG: 85%) and Hamburg (CTH: 90%; CTA: 85%), resulting in prolonged landside delays. |
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Despite aggressive carrier efforts to push rates up, the most recent Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) update for the European lane showed a marginal increase in rates. |
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Amid spiking fuel costs related to Strait of Hormuz disruptions, lines are rapidly implementing Emergency Bunker Surcharges (EBSs) to test market acceptance and protect margins. |
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Rates are projected to remain relatively stable, with only a slight upward shift. The market is currently locked in a “push-and-pull” dynamic: carriers are using emergency surcharges to enforce a rigid price floor ahead of Q2 contract negotiations, while sluggish demand continues to prevent massive or sudden rate spikes. |
TRANS-ATLANTIC WESTBOUND (TAWB)
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Carriers are reporting 94%+ vessel utilization across Northern Europe and the West Mediterranean, driven by robust demand, capacity cuts of 10-15%, announcements for Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) increases, and ongoing port congestion. |
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Most of Northern Europe and the Mediterranean continue to face congestion, with berthing delays of 1 to 4 days and yard utilization above 80%. |
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Critical container and chassis shortages persist, notably in Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Southern and Eastern Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. This is driving ongoing inland delays of 2 to 4 days due to congestion and driver constraints. |
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Spot rates from Northern Europe to the U.S. East Coast continue to hold steady. |
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All carriers have announced PSSs, General Rate Increases (GRIs), and Rate Revision Increases (RRIs) on Northern Europe, West Mediterranean, and East Mediterranean routes. Carriers anticipate successful PSS implementation. |
INDIAN SUBCONTINENT TO NORTH AMERICA
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To the U.S. East Coast: Capacity remains tight heading into April, given increased cargo demand from India, structural blanks, and sudden blanks driven by two key services routing around the Cape of Good Hope. |
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To the U.S. West Coast: Capacity is growing increasingly constrained on feeder services that connect Indian subcontinent cargo to mainline services. |
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To the U.S. East Coast: General Rate Increases (GRIs) implemented across the market have held through March, driven by reduced short-term capacity and increased demand for ex-India cargo following the U.S.’s removal of its oil-related tariff on India in early February. |
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To the U.S. West Coast: Rates increased this month due to increased demand from India. |
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Air freight capacity remains severely strained as the Middle East conflict continues to disrupt major transit hubs. With a majority of Europe-bound cargo traditionally transiting through these areas, shippers are facing significant backlogs and overbooked lanes. |
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Rates have sharply increased due to suspended or reduced services through primary transit hubs. |
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Internal logistics, including trucking to airports, have also faced slowdowns due to fuel supply challenges. |
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Capacity remains critically tight. Disruptions in ocean freight solutions have pushed more volume toward air freight, putting additional pressure on available space. |
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Operations are subject to sudden changes due to air space restrictions. |
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We anticipate backlogs as production resumes following recent national holidays. |
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Demand for Trans-Pacific Eastbound lanes remains robust, fueled by strong ecommerce and general cargo volumes. Capacity is tightening, and rising jet fuel costs have led to increased surcharges. |
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Market conditions remain strained on Far East Westbound lanes, with limited capacity and ongoing congestion at major transit hubs. |
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The market is highly volatile as regional conflicts continue to impact routing and fuel surcharges. |
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Trans-Pacific Eastbound capacity is under pressure as major ecommerce players secure significant space. |
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Far East Westbound capacity is extremely constrained, with some carriers reducing weight limits due to required flight rerouting. Cargo that exceeds standard weight limits faces a higher risk of offloading. |
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Demand is strong, driven by the traditional peak season. |
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Space to major North American gateways and European destinations is extremely tight. |
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Market demand remains strong, intensified by the quarter-end rush. |
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Competition for space is high, particularly for palletized cargo. Loose shipments are subject to fluctuating availability. |
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Rates on both North American and European lanes remain at elevated levels. Capacity is critically tight. |
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Volumes are surging, driven by quarter-end financial closings and a massive influx of high-tech and semiconductor cargo. As a result, securing capacity for other goods is now exceptionally difficult. |
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Significant backlogs have been reported at primary European transit hubs. |
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While local demand is expected to stabilize following recent holidays, fuel surcharge increases have kept overall costs consistent. |
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Demand remains strong through the end of the month and quarter. |
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Capacity is tight across all major North American gateways, particularly on the East Coast. While some transit options through the Middle East have seen partial resumptions, overall capacity remains limited. |
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The market faces space constraints and escalating costs. |
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Recent road restrictions have impacted domestic transport timelines. |
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While recent holidays briefly softened demand, fuel price volatility has kept pricing high. |
(Source: Flexport)
Please reach out to your account representative for details on any impacts on your shipments.
Transit time increased from China to the U.S. West Coast, China to the U.S. East Coast, and China to North Europe.
Week to March 23, 2026
Transit time increased on all three lanes, rising from 34.8 to 37 days from China to the U.S. West Coast; 51.5 to 53.3 days from China to the U.S. East Coast; and 55.6 to 58.4 days from China to North Europe.
Stay in the loop—read past newsletters here. For more information, connect with one of our logistics experts here.
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