Global trade continues to show resilience despite the rise of protectionism and geopolitical tensions, according to the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026, which indicates that global connectedness remained strong over the past year and matched the record level reached in 2022, demonstrating that international flows of goods, capital, information, and people remain active and that globalization is not retreating but rather adapting to a new phase marked by risk diversificat

The tender for the Tecon 10 mega container terminal at the Port of Santos has become a new front in the geopolitical dispute between the United States and China, placing Brazil in the dilemma of balancing its relationship with its main trading partner and the world’s leading power, as Washington openly expressed concerns over the participation of Chinese companies —seen as a risk in terms of sovereignty, security, and competition— and made it clear that it would not favor a C

Negotiations for a free trade agreement between Mercosur and Canada progressed during the latest round held in February and may lead to a short-term provisional understanding, while discussions continue on sensitive issues that remain unresolved. Among the main topics under negotiation are market access in sensitive sectors, including beef, dairy products, poultry, and eggs, as well as disagreements over geographical indication rules, with Canada generally following a model s

The expansion of the war between the United States, Israel and Iran pushed global oil prices to their highest level in more than three years, driven by fears that the conflict could cause prolonged disruptions to energy supplies from the Middle East, particularly due to risks to maritime transport in the strategic Strait of Hormuz; the escalation triggered strong reactions in global financial markets, with declines on Wall Street —where the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P 500 opene

The potential acquisition of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by Hapag-Lloyd for about US$4.2 billion would strengthen the German group’s position as one of the top five container shipping operators worldwide, increasing its active fleet to around 3.2 million TEU with a substantial orderbook and helping it remain relevant in an increasingly consolidated market; this move is part of a long trend of mergers and acquisitions that have raised the Top 5 carriers’ share from 37 % i

The Maritime Action Plan (MAP) presented by Donald Trump —after nearly a year of preparation and signed by Marco Rubio— represents a strongly national initiative aimed at revitalizing shipbuilding in the United States, based on the premise that vessels should be built domestically, and places at its core the concern over reliance on foreign flags in foreign trade and the decline of the merchant marine; in this context, it stresses the need to strengthen the domestic shipbuild

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring illegal the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act drew attention from China and South Korea and could affect trade agreements reached since April 2025, although markets reacted with relative calm; China announced a “comprehensive assessment” and urged the removal of unilateral tariffs, while Trump proposed replacing them with a new global 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 19

Brazil’s waterway regulator Antaq has announced plans to hold four container terminal auctions in 2026, the first time in a decade that such assets will be offered to the private sector, with a primary focus on the STS 10 project at the Port of Santos, expected to become the country’s largest terminal with projected R$6.4 billion in investment and a 50 % capacity increase; however, the original auction timetable — initially promised for late January — has not yet been publish