Trendwatch: Port Authority reports facility volumes for October 2025; US removes UK pharma tariffs; Survey: No End in Sight for Geopolitical Stress on Europe's Supply Chains

Port Authority reports facility volumes for October 2025

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that its commercial airports recorded their third-busiest October ever, welcoming 12.3 million passengers despite Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) challenges related to the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1. The PATH commuter rail recorded its second-busiest month since the pandemic, reaching 75 percent of pre-pandemic ridership. The Port of New York and New Jersey sustained its status as the nation’s second-busiest port for loaded containers year-to-date. Volume at the agency’s vehicular crossings held steady with 2024 and pre-pandemic 2019.

US removes UK pharma tariffs

The U.S. agreed to remove Section 232 tariffs on pharmaceutical goods from the United Kingdom, according to a Monday press release from the White House.

The proposed deal includes U.K.-based pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical ingredients and medical technology, per the release. Further, the U.S. will not target U.K. pricing practices in any future Section 301 investigation during President Donald Trump’s term.

Survey: No End in Sight for Geopolitical Stress on Europe's Supply Chains

Nearly 80% of European supply chain professionals are expecting their operations to be impacted by geopolitical dynamics and tariffs over the next one to two years.

According to a survey of 900 European companies from ocean carrier Maersk, 50% of respondents expressed "deep concern" about the current geopolitical climate, while 80% recognized supply chain challenges as a factor impacting their business growth. In response to those growing challenges, roughly 75% of respondents said that they're either sourcing from multiple geographies or planning to do so, up from the 53% of businesses that answered the same in the 2024 iteration of Maersk's survey.

Seafarer exodus casts a shadow over maritime safety

The exodus of seafarers giving up life at sea for jobs ashore is accelerating and now poses a serious threat to the world’s principal means of bulk trade including manufactured goods, major bulk commodities, oil, gas, and chemicals. At a recent webinar on the sidelines of COP30 titled The Global Seafarer Emergency, the true extent of the problem was laid bare by maritime labour experts, academics, a tanker owner, and seafarers themselves.

Emirates SkyCargo confident on 777F and 777-300 conversion orders

Emirates SkyCargo is confident its orders for 21 Boeing 777 production freighters and 10 777 freighter conversions are on track and will enable it to meet future widebody capacity demand.

Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president at Emirates SkyCargo, informs Air Cargo News (ACN) that the airline expects steady deliveries of 777 newbuild freighters to reach its goal of 21 aircraft of this type by December 2026.

Global Ship Lease snaps up three boxships in $90m deal

New York-listed boxship owner Global Ship Lease (GSL) has moved to expand its fleet, striking a deal to buy three 8,600 teu vessels for a combined $90m.

The vessels — Korean-built in 2010 and 2011 and fitted with ECO upgrades — come with charters already in place to a major liner operator. While the charter rates sit below today’s market levels, the durations are flexible, with potential redelivery stretching to mid-2030, the Greek owner said.