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Shipping Blog by President and Owner Diana Stinson
Tariff Impact on Shipping
Diana Stinson on Tariff Impact
TPC Tariff Tracker
January 9, 2026
President Trump has expanded tariffs on a wide range of countries and goods. TPC continues to track these announcements and will update this page with details and estimates of how tariffs will affect federal revenues, households, and the economy.
Jump to:
1. US tariff policy snapshot
2. Household impact
3. Business impact
4. Tariff revenue
5. Explanation of tariff policies
6. Methodology
Hi, it’s Diana Stinson again. Thank you for reading my blog. Unfortunately, we have more tariffs in the news again. Let’s see what new taxes are being levied on Americans. Let’s be clear. No country is paying the tariffs except for America and not the government, the importer of record must pay the tariffs. In fact, no one else can pay for them other than a customs broker on their behalf. Using a customs broker is standard as messing this up will cost you an unknown amount.
Several of my customers have had to hire attorneys and fight tariffs. This has been hard on everyone in the shipping industry and many have folded. The infrastructure is getting smaller and weaker every day. If the tariffs were lifted and everyone started to ship, the shipments would be delayed for months because the companies are gone.
This turmoil is only going to produce 2.6 trillion in 10 years? That’s roughly what we collect in income tax in one year. I don’t see the damage this is causing being worth 1 year of income taxes. I see companies with employees that have families being closed and fired. I see the costs going through the roof on every single product imported except I don’t see Apple or Nvidia paying any tariffs. They have been exempted among others such as oil companies, pharmaceuticals and manufacturers. So the trillion dollar corporations do not have to pay, you do. Starting this month, $116.67 on average.
Tariffs by Country
Diana Stinson on Tariff Impact
Freight Broker Safety Act
Diana Stinson on Freight Broker Safety Act
Diana Stinson on Freight Broker Safety Act
GDP grew 4.3% in Q3, and it was ‘healthier’ growth
The Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act: Good hearts, Bad outcomes
Good morning, Diana Stinson with Texas Global Services again and as always, thank you so much for reading my blog. This article about the Freight Broker Safety Act is spot on. Yes, that sounds like a great way to control the quality of drivers on the road and reduce deadly accidents with 30 tons of cargo. No, it is not feasible. This will add an extreme amount to the cost of shipping. This will create a driver shortage.
The industry is already operating with many trucking companies gone and just had a great retail season. This is too much. The government getting involved just to pass the buck and hit companies with fines after tanking the trade. They issue the licenses. Placing truck brokers in charge of safety sounds irresponsible at best. Great opportunity for the government to save money and generate income at the same time. Then complain when it is time to move freight and it’s a 3 month wait for everyone’s container.
The infrastructure is partially gone due to 2020 and 2022. You can’t just turn the shipping back on. Those companies, trucks and drivers are gone. The freight forwarders, the warehouses and packing companies. This industry has been turned on it’s head twice in the last five years.
Even though the broker is trying to make money and efficiency is key in slim margins. This act translates to abuse in my mind. Although, it is for safety of the public, perhaps it’s the government that is in charge of safety guidelines and implementation, not truck brokers. Their job is to move freight.
Recent Job: Over-dimensional load ready to leave the warehouse.
Diana Stinson on Freight Broker Safety Act
Trucking Hellscape
Diana Stinson on Trucking in America
How America’s Trucking Industry Became a Hellscape
By Craig Fuller, CEO Freightwaves
Key Takeaways:
- Senior trucking executives are only recently discovering an exponential influx of minimally trained foreign drivers and motor carriers, many operating with “non-domiciled CDLs” and little oversight.
- This trend was inadvertently fueled by industry lobbying (ATA) to lower entry barriers, which, combined with regulatory loopholes and technological changes, empowered freight brokers and the least-compliant segment of the market.
- The consequences include legitimate carriers struggling economically, a rise in industrial-scale cargo theft orchestrated by foreign actors, and a significant increase in fatal truck crashes due to untrained, overworked, and inexperienced drivers.
Hello, this is Diana Stinson, President of Texas Global Services. Again, thank you for reading my blog. So this a slightly disturbing Freightwaves article about the condition of the trucking industry. Trucking has always been a place a shipment could be diverted, lost, late.
On top of that, we have the roller coaster ride where trucking revenue was turned off, on and back off again. The industry has changed for the worse, needless to say. Many trucking companies closed in 2020 and then the boom hit and there were:
- foreign investors bringing even more competition.
- Non-domiciled CDL’s and the Entry Level Driver Training Rule Change.
Inexperienced drivers getting CDL’s from CDL mills and these people are not ready. So now there’s inexperienced companies with inexperienced drivers that were trained by an inexperienced trainer at their workplace.
The “Great Freight Recession”, has hit everyone’s revenue and profits. Also hit the capacity of the industry as there’s people losing their licenses currently. Likely to raise spot rates, at least. So the industry is facing:
- The spot rates are lower than the amount of legally maintaining your truck indicating a shippers market. Now shippers are not scheduling a truck and going after these cheaper spot rates.
- Freight theft which has become a real problem. Let’s say you ship with an online forwarder that is computer driven. The trucker delivering your freight or the “last mile” logistics have been stealing loads.
- GPS jammers and impersonating others to get your loads.
All of this is stemming from trucking companies not getting paid properly? This is an important part of my industry. I use quality vendors that I have relationships with. I do this to ensure safe and timely arrival of your freight. It is my honor and privilege to deliver.
Recent Job: Overweight Load, Project Trucking
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Diana Stinson on Trucking in America
Reducing GHG
Diana Stinson on GHG in Shipping
Reducing GHG: time for a propulsion revolution
International Chamber of Shipping
Ambitious IMO (International Maritime Organization) targets to cut GHG (Greehous Gasses) emissions by 2050 will require a fourth revolution in shipping propulsion, based on new fuels and technology
ICS is making proactive proposals to achieve the ambitious goals agreed by the UN IMO to phase out GHG emissions. Including a total cut by the shipping industry of all emissions by 2050.
Hi, Diana Stinson, President and owner of Texas Global Services. First of all, thank you for reading my blog. Also, this is a wonderful article by the Chamber (International Chamber of Shipping). This article shows the shipping industry coming in strong to meet the ambitious CO2 emissions target set by the IMO. Decarbonizing shipping and using zero-carbon technologies seems so far off. 2030 is just five years away and there needs to be a 40% efficiency improvement? I don’t see it happening that fast but I see the solution happening that fast.
Hydrogen, ammonia and electricity powered ships? Wind powered ships? These ideas are bold and I love to share them with you. Are they realistic you ask. This cannot be in production already, can it? All emissions by 2050? None of this seems possible. Is it?
- The Blue Marlin Inland Solar cargo ship is already in operation. It is a hybrid ship that uses solar power to bring their emissions down considerably. Also, can be powered on solar alone for limited time. So the short answer is yes. These ideas are bold and they are realistic. The 106,000 HP engine that runs container ships is a huge ask to replace. Using ideas that reduce these emissions is the least we can do. Are we doing more? Yes.
- Pyxis Ocean’s maiden voyage was in June of this year. She is a wind powered hybrid that has experienced over 1/3 reduction in emissions using rigid sails.
- Hydrogen cell using vessels are in production for inland cargo ships.
- California Coastal Research Vessel. I do see even bigger ideas becoming realities. Norway has a an amazing fully electric cruise ship.
- Sea Zero that has retractable sails to be used on coastal Norwegian routes.
I’m very happy with the things I’m seeing to reduce the amount of carbon from the shipping industry. My industry of 22 years. There is much to be done. How much is in production I am unsure. The solutions have come and they are being implemented. There’s many cargo ships in the world, over 100K according to Virtue Marine.
I see opportunities for new companies and existing companies. Humanity comes together when they are needed the most. We are seeing that now. I’m still proud to be moving freight and am looking to the future that is coming fast.
Shipping Blog | Texas Global Services
6046 FM2920 #307
Spring, TX 77379
