Do the 2026 US tariffs affect me if I import into the Gulf or the EU?

Not directly. The additional duties apply to goods entering the United States. The indirect effect is mildly in your favour: Chinese factories that lost American volume have become more willing to quote and more flexible on minimum order quantities. The tariff question that does affect you is your own HS classification, which is your legal responsibility as importer.

Is the Red Sea situation resolved?

It has eased considerably and Suez is moving traffic, but security remains an active variable and carriers have not standardised. Some services transit Suez, others still route via the Cape of Good Hope — a difference of roughly ten to fourteen days. Confirm the routing for each individual booking in writing rather than assuming a transit time from a previous quarter.

What is the difference between the EU ETS surcharge and CBAM?

They are completely different. The ETS surcharge is a freight cost passed on by your carrier for cargo moving to or from EU ports, and it applies regardless of what you ship. CBAM is an importer obligation covering specific goods — iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen, plus certain downstream products — requiring you to account for embedded emissions. One appears on the carrier's invoice; the other is your own compliance workload.

Why is my all-in freight cost so much higher than the rate I was quoted?

Because a base rate is not a price. Surcharges are quoted separately and move independently: war risk and container insurance on Gulf-bound cargo, ETS on EU-bound cargo, plus peak season surcharges, bunker adjustment, terminal handling at both ends and documentation fees. Always ask for an all-in figure, itemised — the gap is routinely large enough to change which supplier is actually cheapest.

Do falling freight rates mean my landed cost is falling?

Not necessarily. The base rate, the surcharge stack and the regulatory layer move independently, so a falling base rate with rising surcharges can leave you paying the same. And because the Gulf, EU and UK assess duty on a CIF basis, freight sits inside the value being taxed — so a freight change moves your duty bill as well.

China export shipping in 2026: what Gulf and European importers are actually facing

Most trade coverage this year is written about American tariffs. If you are importing into Jeddah, Jebel Ali or Rotterdam, a different set of things is moving your landed cost — routing, surcharges and regulation. Here is what matters and what to do about it.