As 2025 winds down, shippers across North America are navigating a complex mix of tighter customs requirements, evolving tariff policies, soft but stabilizing U.S. freight demand, and growing cross‑border opportunities with Mexico. This December 2025 update from R&R Global Logistics (RRGLS) highlights the key developments that matter most for your holiday and early‑2026 planning—across customs, ocean, trucking, air, and cross‑border trade.
And from the RRGLS team to yours: happy holidays, and thank you for trusting us with your freight this year.
1. CBP Cargo Description Rules: “Vague” Is No Longer an Option
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has implemented stricter cargo description requirements for all shipments destined to or transiting through the United States, with automated manifest rejection tools now flagging vague or generic descriptions. Terms such as “parts,” “clothing,” “appliances,” “gift,” or only a brand name are no longer acceptable; CBP expects plain‑language, specific product descriptions in manifest, ACE, and EDI filings.
Carriers, forwarders, and importers that fail to meet these standards risk manifest rejections, inspections, delays, storage charges, and potential penalties. RRGLS works with customers and carrier partners to ensure commodity descriptions and documentation are detailed, aligned across systems, and ready for both CBP and Canadian CBSA review.
2. Illegal Transshipping: Rising Enforcement and Red Flags
CBP and partner agencies continue to prioritize enforcement against illegal transshipment schemes used to circumvent tariffs, quotas, and trade remedies. Common red flags include unusual routing through third countries, inconsistent documentation, mismatched origin claims, and suppliers suddenly offering “duty‑free” alternatives with little transparency on production or value‑add.
Stronger data analytics and automated targeting tools now allow authorities to compare manifest, entry, and origin information more effectively across shipments and time. For RRGLS customers, that makes robust supplier vetting, clear origin documentation, and conservative routing strategies more important than ever.
3. Tariff and Policy Watch: December Highlights
November and December brought continued movement on tariffs and trade frameworks that will shape 2026 planning.
- The U.K. and EU are moving toward eliminating duty‑free thresholds for low‑value parcels, joining the U.S., which already removed its de minimis exemption in 2025.
- The U.S. continues to refine tariff programs under statutes such as Section 232 and IEEPA, while the Supreme Court’s review of certain IEEPA measures keeps some future collections and potential refunds in question.
- Mexico has approved tariffs of up to 50% on a range of Chinese goods, further encouraging nearshoring and regional supply chains within North America.
RRGLS helps shippers map HS classifications, origins, and routings against these changing rules so you can mitigate risk before new surcharges or documentation requirements take effect.
4. North America Freight Market: Soft Demand, Gradual Rebalancing
Across U.S. domestic trucking and intermodal, demand remains softer than past peak seasons, but the large wave of carrier exits in 2025 is gradually tightening underlying capacity. Thousands of small trucking companies have left the market this year, and while rates have not spiked, analysts describe the current phase as a slow correction rather than a sharp shock.
Most traditional holiday freight moved earlier in Q4, leaving December with more muted volumes but localized tightness around winter weather and final promotional pushes. Contract rates remain below 2024 levels, but spot markets have firmed in some regions, especially where weather, driver availability, and regional surges intersect. RRGLS monitors these shifts daily to secure capacity for dry van, reefer, flatbed, and overweight loads across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
5. Ocean & Port Conditions: Atypical Peak Patterns
Ocean carriers into North America are still digesting a highly front‑loaded 2025 peak season in which record TEU volumes arrived mid‑year, followed by noticeably softer flows in Q4. With retailers ordering in smaller, more frequent waves, tenders have become shorter notice and more regionally concentrated, challenging traditional planning models.
On key east–west lanes, capacity remains broadly available, but carriers are relying on blank sailings and tactical capacity controls to prevent rate erosion and position for the 2026 contracting season. European ports continue to experience uneven congestion and yard utilization issues, while North American inland networks must manage winter weather, low‑water constraints in some corridors, and railcar availability.
RRGLS leverages drayage, transloading, and flexible routing solutions to help customers bridge between ports, rail ramps, and final destinations when schedules shift.
6. Ex‑Asia Air Freight and Holiday Demand
While many ocean and truck lanes feel soft, ex‑Asia air freight is tight going into the holidays due to eCommerce volumes, tech shipments, and peak‑season promotions. Major hubs in North and South China, Taiwan, Korea, and Southeast Asia report elevated demand and constrained capacity into North America, driving higher rates and longer booking lead times.
Shippers are being advised to book at least 7–10 days ahead for priority movements and to reserve air for genuinely time‑sensitive, high‑margin cargo. RRGLS works with customers to evaluate multimodal options—such as expedited LCL, transload combinations, or targeted air for select SKUs—to balance speed and cost.
7. Cross‑Border U.S.–Mexico: Structural Growth Opportunity
Even as global trade flows adjust, U.S.–Mexico cross‑border trade continues to expand, underpinned by nearshoring, strong manufacturing growth in Mexico, and its status as the U.S.’s top goods trading partner. Automotive, electronics, aerospace, and consumer goods manufacturers are increasing production and assembly capacity in Mexico to shorten supply chains and reduce exposure to distant Asian sourcing risks.
New and expanded ports of entry, dedicated truck lanes, and shuttle/bridge solutions are improving reliability at some key border crossings, even as others still face congestion and documentation bottlenecks. For shippers, success hinges on clean documentation, strong customs brokerage coordination, and the right carrier partners who understand border operations on both sides.
RRGLS supports cross‑border freight with drayage, transloading, dry van, reefer, and flatbed/overweight solutions designed for integrated U.S.–Mexico–Canada networks.
8. Practical Steps for Shippers Closing Out 2025
To finish the year strong and set up 2026 programs, RRGLS recommends:
- Reviewing cargo descriptions and internal SOPs to ensure full alignment with CBP’s new specificity rules and automated rejection criteria.
- Screening lanes and suppliers for any illegal transshipment risks, especially where tariff exposure is high or routing has recently shifted to new transit countries.
- Adjusting mode and routing mix to reflect softer but tightening truckload markets, steady ocean capacity, and elevated ex‑Asia air rates.
- Evaluating U.S.–Mexico nearshoring and cross‑border options as part of a broader risk‑diversification and lead‑time reduction strategy.
Happy Holidays from R&R Global Logistics
This year has tested supply chains in new ways—from tariff volatility and regulatory shifts to unusual demand patterns and capacity resets. Through it all, RRGLS remains focused on helping you rest and relax, knowing your freight is in expert hands across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
From everyone at R&R Global Logistics, happy holidays and best wishes for a resilient, profitable, and well‑planned 2026.
