Inflation’s Hidden Freight Discount: Why Rates Are Lower Than You Think

Freight rates might look like they’re holding steady — but when you adjust for inflation, the real story tells a very different tale.
In this week’s Supply Chain Secrets, Caroline Weaver and Lars Jensen break down why inflation-adjusted freight rates on major trade lanes have quietly slipped below pre-pandemic levels, even as indices like the SCFI show nominal increases.
They also discuss how politically charged tariffs are blurring the line between trade policy and politics, and why a single Caribbean port closure could trigger ripple effects across the Americas.
🎙️ In This Episode:
• Why inflation makes “stable” rates a hidden discount for shippers
• SCFI vs. NYFI: What’s really happening in loaded cargo rates
• The growing role of politics in U.S. trade policy
• Regional risks: how weather and regulation shape reliability
• What shippers should watch in the months ahead