‘Black Swan’ Risks Stalk Container Carriers in Avoiding Iran War

The Iran conflict has thrust container shipping from an industry bracing for a capacity glut to another potential “black swan” supply crunch.

That paradigm shift dawned on the more than 3,500 importers, freight forwarders and ocean carriers gathered this week in Long Beach, California. S&P Global’s TPM conference is normally a forum where contracts are hammered out, innovations are unveiled, and the competition is fierce to lure attendees for drinks and hors d’oeuvres at sponsored happy hours.

Through Covid, Russia’s war in Ukraine and US tariffs, the event also provided informal crisis counseling and camaraderie for those running the world’s ...