The Daily | June 17, 2025

FreightCasts

A dramatic incident happened in the Persian Gulf, where a "dark fleet" tanker collided with another crude oil vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, igniting a fire amidst rising GPS disruptions in the region. This critical maritime choke point, responsible for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply, continues to be a hotspot for geopolitical tensions.

Shifting to international trade, President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have announced a significant easing of tariffs between their nations. This new agreement zeroes out aerospace import tariffs from the UK and reduces auto tariffs to 10% on the first 100,000 vehicles, a sharp drop from the previous 27.5% duty.

On the fuel front, benchmark diesel prices have seen their biggest upward move since January, rising 10 cents per gallon to $3.571, largely driven by escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. While crude oil prices briefly dipped, market anxieties over tightened diesel availability persist, especially given Iran's role as a supplier of heavier crude.

In North America, DHL Express Canada is preparing to suspend parcel operations due to a tough labor dispute with Unifor, impacting 2,100 workers. A new Canadian law prohibiting replacement workers has forced DHL's hand, leading to an indefinite shipment embargo starting Tuesday night with full operations pausing by Friday.

A serious crackdown on safety and fraud in Florida has led to the arrest of eight individuals, including two state employees, for selling fraudulent driver's licenses to undocumented migrants. Shockingly, some of these illicitly obtained licenses were commercial, enabling unqualified individuals to potentially operate tractor-trailers, posing a significant threat to highway safety.

Finally, in the skies, Saudi Arabia-based AviLease has made a bold entry into the widebody air cargo market with a direct order for 10 Airbus A350 freighters. These state-of-the-art jets promise remarkable fuel efficiency and the capacity to carry up to 120 tons, featuring the industry's largest cargo door for oversized shipments and even 20-foot containers.

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