Drewry Rates Drop, Amazon Speed Wars, USPS’s DDUs: The Latest Logistics News
Ocean Rates Cool Down: WCI Drops 7%
After a nervous start to the year, the spot market is softening. The latest Drewry World Container Index (Feb. 5) shows a broad decline across major lanes as the pre-Lunar New Year rush fades.
Composite Index: Down 7% to $1,959
Shanghai to LA: Down 8% to $2,239
Shanghai to NY: Down 5% to $2,819
Shanghai to Rotterdam: Down 9% to $2,164 The Takeaway: The "2026 Spike" might have been a false alarm. Demand isn't holding up, and carriers are already blanking sailings to stop the bleeding.
Source: Drewry
USPS Opens the DDU: What You Need to Know
The Postal Service is officially soliciting bids for direct access to its Delivery Units (DDUs). Supply Chain Dive breaks down the new portal, which allows high-volume shippers and 3PLs to bypass upstream network injects and drop directly at the "last mile" facility. This is a massive opportunity for consolidators to lower costs—if they have the density to make the sortation work. Source: Supply Chain Dive
Amazon's "Speed Wars" Continue
If you thought 2-day shipping was the standard, you’re already behind. Amazon announced in its Q4 2025 earnings that it achieved its fastest delivery speeds in history last quarter. By regionalizing inventory and bypassing sort centers, they are pushing "Same-Day" and "Next-Day" to record levels. For 3PLs, the bar just got raised (again). Source: Supply Chain Dive
The State of E-Commerce: A $10 Trillion Beast
Marketplace Pulse released a staggering stat this week: Global e-commerce GMV has passed $10 trillion. But the growth isn't evenly distributed. The market is increasingly concentrated among a few giants (Amazon, TikTok, Shein/Temu), leaving independent retailers to fight for the scraps. Source: Marketplace Pulse
Fighting Fraud with X-Rays?
Returns fraud is an $80 billion problem, and startups are getting creative. The WSJ profiles a new wave of tech companies using AI-powered X-ray scanners to look inside returned packages before they are opened. The goal? Catch the "brick in the box" scams without slowing down the refund process. Source: WSJ
Gamification in the Warehouse
Gartner predicts that by 2028, gamification will be a standard feature in high-performing warehouses. It’s not just about leaderboards; it’s about using real-time feedback loops to drive engagement and retention in a labor market that is only getting tighter. Source: Supply Chain 24/7
📊 Amazon Hits $800 Billion GMV
A key stat from my latest monthly report: Amazon's annual GMV has officially surpassed $800 billion in 2025. To put that in perspective, that is larger than the GDP of Switzerland. Source: Marketplace Pulse
SCOOP: Is XB Fulfillment Next? If you thought Quiet and Veyer were the only dominos falling, look south. I am hearing from multiple sources that XB Fulfillment—the poster child for Mexico-based, Section 321 fulfillment—is winding down operations. Despite raising $100M in growth capital just a few years ago, the model appears to be buckling under the weight of aggressive new tariffs and tightening de minimis regulations. The Lesson: Building your entire supply chain on a single regulatory loophole is a gamble, not a strategy. Source: Matthew Hertz LinkedIn
