Tariffs in 2026: What Shippers Need to Know About Costs, Supply Chains, and Strategy
Freight shippers are no strangers to uncertainty. And right now, tariffs are one of the biggest unknowns hanging over the industry.
The transportation industry entered 2025 carrying familiar baggage: soft demand, excess capacity, and a persistent sense of uncertainty that had defined the market for the prior two years.

International shipping is, by its very nature, risky business. So many things can disrupt a global supply chain, from sluggish port operations to geopolitical conflict to capacity shortages. Heck, even the weather can set a supply chain off its course, careening toward disaster!

If you’re a shipper wondering how this year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck will impact your freight, you’re in the right place.
Freight shippers are no strangers to uncertainty. And right now, tariffs are one of the biggest unknowns hanging over the industry.
A foreign trade zone (FTZ) allows companies to defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties on imported goods.
Using an FTZ warehouse or yard can reduce tariff costs by allowing assembly or manufacturing before duties apply.
FTZs provide operational flexibility, especially for complex supply chains importing multi-component goods.
Bonded warehouses offer simpler compliance but fewer manipulation options and limited storage duration.

The fear of cargo being lost, damaged, or otherwise compromised in transit is a common one. For shippers with international supply chains, these anxieties are intensified by unpredictable factors like war and geopolitical tensions, tariffs, piracy, natural disasters, and more.
Posted by Patrick Eversman and Jerry Ramirez on May 19, 2025, 3:05:00 PM
Posted by Jay Thomassen on Feb 26, 2025, 9:00:00 AM
Freight shippers are no strangers to uncertainty. And right now, tariffs are one of the biggest unknowns hanging over the industry.
Posted by Brandon Nelson on Oct 23, 2024, 9:00:00 AM
A foreign trade zone (FTZ) allows companies to defer, reduce, or eliminate customs duties on imported goods.
Using an FTZ warehouse or yard can reduce tariff costs by allowing..
Posted by Carl Verdon on Sep 25, 2024, 3:31:08 PM
The fear of cargo being lost, damaged, or otherwise compromised in transit is a common one. For shippers with international supply chains, these anxieties are intensified by unpredictable factors like war and..
©ATS 2026 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use