Maritime Industry Briefing: Carrier Reliability Drops, Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs

## Ocean Carrier On-Time Arrivals Tumble in January According to data from maritime analytics firm Xeneta, ocean carrier on-time arrival performance took a significant hit in January 2023. While Gemini Cooperation continued to lead the industry in schedule reliability, even its resilient network was not immune to the deteriorating operational factors seen across the sector last month. 'Severe weather in the North Atlantic was a major contributing factor to the drop in on-time arrivals,' said Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund. 'Carriers are still grappling with the lingering effects of supply chain disruptions, port congestion, and other challenges that have plagued the industry over the past two years.' The decline in schedule reliability comes as ocean freight rates have started to normalize following the record highs of the pandemic era. Shippers will be watching closely to see if carriers can regain their footing on operational performance in the months ahead. ## Supreme Court Rules Against Trump Tariffs In a 6-3 decision, the US Supreme Court has ruled that the global tariffs implemented by the Trump administration since 2018 were illegal under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The 'Liberation Day' tariffs, as they were known, allowed the President to unilaterally impose tariffs on imports, citing national security concerns. However, the nation's highest court determined that the administration overstepped its authority under IEEPA. 'This ruling is a major blow to the Trump administration's aggressive trade policy and will likely throw the current tariff regime into disarray,' said maritime trade expert Dr. Sarah Goldfeder of the Albright Stonebridge Group. The decision could pave the way for importers to seek refunds on tariffs paid over the past four years. It also casts uncertainty over the Biden administration's own use of IEEPA to maintain some of the Trump-era tariffs. Maritime industry groups have long called for a normalization of US trade policy, arguing that the tariffs have disrupted global supply chains and added unnecessary costs. This Supreme Court ruling may represent a significant step in that direction.