Daily Industry Briefing
Today we're covering three pieces of news that directly affect your cargo and your money: congestion at Chinese ports is worsening ahead of the National Day Golden Week, and Southeast Asia route freight rates have already gone up; Malaysia's Ministry of Communications says e-commerce platform licensing is just waiting on two ministries to set the conditions; and the 2027 Budget is expected to leave GST unrestored, but will tighten invoicing and tax compliance. These three items affect your freight costs, the rules for selling on platforms, and where you need to be more careful when declaring cargo value.
Today's Top 3
1. China Port Congestion Worsens Before National Day, Southeast Asia Freight Rates Up 12%
The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) on September 4 showed freight rates from Shanghai to Southeast Asia routes rose 12% in a single week, reaching 893 USD per TEU
The Loadstar 路 2026-09-04 路 Read Original ↗
2. MCMC Says It's Ready to Issue Licences, Just Waiting on KPDN and Ministry of Finance to Set Conditions
Deputy Communications Minister Teresa Kok said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) already has the authority under existing law to license e-commerce platforms, but the specific conditions will be drawn up by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF)
BusinessToday Malaysia 路 2026-09-22 路 Read Original ↗
3. 2027 Budget Preview: No Return of GST, But Tax Compliance Will Get Stricter
The Budget will be tabled on October 9. Investment bank Kenanga expects the government will not bring back the Goods and Services Tax (GST), nor introduce any major new taxes
BusinessToday Malaysia 路 2026-09-22 路 Read Original ↗
HASTE Take
Booking two weeks before National Day Golden Week can save you more than just money, it saves you time too
Let's start with the bottom line: if your cargo isn't booked yet, act now, don't wait until October. The reason is simple. Freight rates from Shanghai to Southeast Asia already rose 12% in the week of September 4, reaching 893 USD per TEU. This is because typhoons have caused congestion at major ports like Shanghai and Ningbo, and shipping lines are cancelling sailings ahead of the October 1-7 National Day holiday to prepare for the break. Fewer sailings means it's harder to get your cargo on board, which naturally pushes freight rates up. This isn't speculation, it's data that freight forwarders have been watching daily these past few weeks.
This is a condensed version. The full briefing, with every key point, the cost comparison table and the recommended actions, is published on the Haste website:
The above content is compiled from public news reports. Please refer to official announcements and the latest carrier quotes for actual policies and rates.
