Demand softening should normally be good news for shippers looking for freight space and perhaps some relief on rates.. But look around Asia Pacific this September and the picture is nowhere near that simple..
Dimerco‘s September 2026 Asia Pacific Freight Report has landed, and there are several things in its 31 pages that is interesting..
For starters, AI is beginning to have a visible impact on airfreight capacity.. The report points to AI servers, high-performance computing equipment, and advanced semiconductors driving export demand from Taiwan, while semiconductor and AI cargo is also affecting capacity through South Korea..
Then there is ocean freight.. Dimerco reports softer demand in parts of the market, yet rates aren’t necessarily responding in the way you might expect..
Weather disruption at major Chinese gateways, congestion, blank sailings, routing changes, and restrictions elsewhere in the network are all playing into the amount of effective capacity actually available..
Another section worthy of attention to is China-Europe rail.. If rail is part of your routing options between China and Europe, that market appears relatively balanced, but there are specific cargo restrictions and customs requirements affecting certain shipments moving through the corridor..
And then there are the regulatory developments..
The report flags changes affecting importers into the United States, Australia’s 2026-27 BMSB season, possible US trade measures affecting several Asia Pacific economies, customs developments in Mexico, and other issues that sit outside the freight rate conversation but can very quickly become a cargo problem..
It breaks air and ocean conditions down across Taiwan, South Korea, different parts of China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, India, North America, Mexico, and Europe with much granularity..
Rather than the usual “rates are rising/rates are falling” commentary, the regional tables show Dimerco’s assessment of capacity and rate direction by origin, mode, and destination..
Download Dimerco’s September 2026 Asia Pacific Freight Report to have a better understanding of what September 2026 could have in store for you..
