Freight Price Predictions for 2026: What the Market Is Pricing In
Episode description
What will freight rates look like for the rest of 2026?
In this week’s episode of Supply Chain Secrets, the discussion moves beyond current spot rates to what the market is already pricing into the future.
From forward curves on key trades to the unfolding situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the episode explores how fuel costs, demand uncertainty, and capacity dynamics are shaping freight price expectations.
The key question: are current forecasts too conservative, or already balancing competing forces?
Topics covered:
• Forward price expectations across Asia–US and Asia–Europe trades
• How much of the expected increase is already explained by fuel surcharges
• Why rates may face both upward pressure from costs and downward pressure from demand
• What a “semi-permanent” disruption in Hormuz could mean for freight markets
• How to think about planning in a market where the range of outcomes is widening