“Looking at regional imports for the first seven months of the year, all regions recorded year-to-date growth except the Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East, which experienced a 4.2% decline,” said a CTS statement.      Sub-Saharan Africa saw the biggest increases, with import volumes increasing 14% from Asia and 15% from North America.     “Another recurring theme throughout 2026 has been Europe's continued import growth, up 6.1% year to date. Far East cargo has played a significant role, adding approximately 1.5 million teu compared with the same period last year,” said CTS.      Looking ahead CTS said that even with all the disruption on the Panama Canal, the Middle East crisis and the typhoon season in Asia causing congestion, “global volumes have continued to adapt rather than retreat”, whether that can be sustained throughout the year as trading patterns are “reshaped”, remains to be seen, particularly as China’s Golden Week, 1-7 October, approaches.      Freight rates have had a mixed performance recently with the US spot rates rising fast, but that pace is now easing, said Peter Sand, Xenata’s chief analyst.      “It is a different story into Europe, where spot rates from the Far East to North Europe have fallen 18% since early July while rates into the Mediterranean are down 28%. The split in the global market remains, with the Transatlantic to US East Coast still ticking upwards to $3,000 per feu – the highest level since April 2023,” said Sand.      From a forwarder’s point of view, CH Robinson reports: “September is not shaping up as a conventional US import peak, but ocean freight remains vulnerable to disruption. Typhoon congestion, blank sailings, canal restrictions and carrier network changes are limiting recovery options on several trade lanes.”      Meanwhile, Dimerco Express’s Director of sales and marketing Ted Chen reflected on the Pacific trades’ adjustments: “The transpacific isn't one market anymore - each port has its own balance point, and capacity is being removed involuntarily. That's why slowing demand isn't pulling rates down. Panama and Suez will decide where the market settles.”