Dimerco May Freight Report: Fuel volatility and tight capacity add pressure across Asia-Pacific supply chains

Dimerco Express Group today released its May 2026 Asia Pacific Freight Report, highlighting continued manufacturing resilience across Asia-Pacific, even as fuel volatility, tighter capacity and geopolitical disruption increase pressure on global shippers.

Manufacturing Remains Resilient, but Pressure Is Building

The report shows the Global Manufacturing PMI at 51.3 in March 2026, marking the eighth consecutive month of expansion. Several Asia-Pacific markets also remained in growth territory, including Thailand at 54.1, India at 53.9, Taiwan at 53.3, South Korea at 52.6, Vietnam at 51.2 and China at 50.8.

At the same time, rising input costs, longer supplier lead times and softer business confidence are creating a more challenging planning environment for shippers.

“Manufacturing activity remains resilient, but the logistics environment is getting harder to manage,” said Catherine Chien, Chairwoman of Dimerco Express Group. “Fuel volatility, tight capacity and geopolitical uncertainty are forcing shippers to plan earlier, protect capacity and build more flexibility into their routing strategies.”

Airfreight Capacity Tightens on Key Lanes

Dimerco reports that airfreight capacity remains tight, especially on Asia-Europe lanes, where Middle East airspace restrictions are forcing longer routings and reducing available belly capacity.

Strong demand for electronics, semiconductors and AI-related shipments is also driving volumes into the U.S., contributing to backlogs and elevated rates on key routes.

Ocean Freight Faces Surcharges and Congestion

In ocean freight, Persian Gulf tensions, higher bunker costs and congestion at Asian transshipment hubs are pushing Emergency Bunker Surcharges, BAF adjustments and selective rate increases.

While softer lanes continue to limit broader rate movement, more active trade lanes are seeing upward pressure as shippers frontload ahead of surcharge changes and holiday-related disruptions.

Alternate Routing and Compliance Remain Key

The report also points to China-Europe rail as a viable mid-cost alternative for certain shipments, with transit times of 16 to 24 days, despite May rate increases of $600 to $800+.

For US importers, Dimerco highlights CBP CAPE Phase 1, which enables electronic filing of IEEPA tariff refund requests through the ACE Portal for eligible entries.