Hot Rails

In this week’s Roar: A two-week U.S.-Iran truce, the First Sale valuation method, U.S. seaport activity, railroads have their best month, and scaling AI solutions.

A fragile cease-fire in the Persian Gulf remains, as little marine traffic is flowing so far. There are over 800 vessels, including 426 oil tankers, trapped in the Persian Gulf. The newly announced two-week U.S.-Iran truce to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has shipowners cautiously optimistic. Besides those trapped, there are more than 1,000 ships sitting in queue on either side, and about 20,000 seafarers are currently stranded. Industry experts are warning that traffic will restart gradually, despite any official assurances. For now, the rules for safe passage are still unclear.

Tariffs are not getting the supply chain headlines these days, but they are still causing challenges for importers. As with most legislation, there are “grey” areas. And, in an effort to lower tariff costs, retailers are increasingly relying on the First Sale valuation method. This is a decades-old tactic that’s drawing congressional scrutiny amid claims that it undermines U.S. manufacturing. Lawmakers are questioning whether the rule gives importers an unfair advantage over domestic producers.

A new report finds that U.S. seaport activity has stabilized at historically high levels. This is apparently because of resilient, port-driven industrial demand, even in the face of trade uncertainty and geopolitical risks. With container volumes steady, both East and Gulf Coast ports are maintaining or slowly gaining market share, propped up by ongoing infrastructure investments, efficient rail links, and population growth near major gateways. Additionally, industrial vacancy rates are stabilizing nationally.

Railroads in the US posted their best month in years, with March 2026 carloads averaging 230,401 every week, which is the highest since 2019. First-quarter shipments are up 4.2% year-on-year to 2.68 million units. Intermodal traffic rebounded, and 12 of 20 commodity groups showed gains, led by grain and chemicals. This is all a sign of sustained rail recovery in the face of ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

As AI continues to move from pilot projects to production, it’s clear that real supply chain value comes from scaling solutions that deliver measurable ROI. While 72% of supply chain organizations have deployed generative AI, only 23% have a formal AI strategy. And that could be a costly mistake. To be successful, organizations need strong data governance, workflow integration, and clear accountability. They need to prove cycle time reduction, cost savings, and CFO-validated impact or risk losing their investments.

For the rest of the week’s top shipping news, check out the article highlights below.