Letter from the Editor
Breakbulk & Project Cargo
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a brutal but effective marketing campaign for the sector.
From survival to scale
By Carly Fields
Caught between the volatile Middle East and the domestic promise of the Americas, sentiment among breakbulk and project cargo shippers has shifted from“ how do we survive?” to“ how do we scale?”
In conversations at the Journal of Commerce’ s Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference 2026 in New Orleans, a cautious, localized and almost defiant optimism prevailed among shippers of out-of-gauge cargoes.
With the shifting geopolitical landscape, the Americas— specifically Venezuela and Guyana— are poised to play a dominant role in pivoting from Middle Eastern energy dependence.
“ Countries within the Americas probably will play a more important role in the upcoming years, and oil and gas is one of the key aspects,” one shipper speaking to the Journal of Commerce noted. That regional focus is driving a“ bullish” outlook for many shippers, despite a backdrop of global instability.
Between chip plant expansions in Phoenix and a growing rail network with Mexico, the shipper said the sheer volume of activity is staggering.
However, a lack of capacity could scupper the project refocus before it finds its feet, another shipper said. The source expressed“ deep concerns over rail capacity and the availability of specialized equipment,” with the energy sector already struggling.
Companies are now being forced into long-term barge and rail car leases— a move once considered unnecessary— while the heavy-haul market is facing a similar squeeze, forcing companies to award contracts two years in advance rather than the traditional six months.
Another pervasive theme on shippers’ minds at Breakbulk26 was the scarcity of“ institutional knowledge.” One shipper said the industry is facing a“ silver tsunami” of retirements, and that the gap between veteran experience and the incoming Gen Z workforce is widening.
Shippers criticized a“ cubicle culture,” in which employees understand their specific role but lack the holistic“ chief cook and bottle washer” mentality of previous generations.
“ There’ s a real disconnect between that guy sitting in a cubicle and what a dock looks like,” another shipper said, emphasizing that hands-on experience is now the industry’ s most valuable currency. While technology and AI were noted as tools for efficiency, including digital twins and autonomous trucks, shippers speaking to the Journal of Commerce agreed that logistics remains a relationship-based business.
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a brutal but effective marketing campaign for the sector.
As one industry veteran put it,“ Every single person now knows what supply chain is... [ COVID ] created for all of us a huge opportunity to be able to say what we do is important.”
Another source urged the industry to showcase that project cargo isn’ t just a job, but an international career of choice.
“ The cargo is coming, the projects are funded and the Americas are ready,” they said.“ But can we train the next generation fast enough to catch the wave?”
email: carly. fields @ spglobal. com
Executive Editor: Mark Szakonyi 202.872.1234, mark. szakonyi @ spglobal. com
Managing Editor: Benjamin Meyer 916.716.6272, benjamin. meyer @ spglobal. com
Associate Editor: Carly Fields + 44( 0) 7966 210030, carly. fields @ spglobal. com
Shipper Engagement Manager, Breakbulk: Diana Hamm, 832.499.7368, diana. hamm @ spglobal. com
Senior Research Analyst, Project and Breakbulk Cargo: Susan Oatway, FICS, + 44.7930.411659 susan. oatway @ spglobal. com
Managing Editor: Kevin Saville, 347.308.3743, kevin. saville2 @ spglobal. com
Senior Editors: William B. Cassidy Trucking and Domestic Transportation 202.872.1228, bill. cassidy @ spglobal. com
Bill Mongelluzzo, West Coast 562.428.5999, bill. mongelluzzo @ spglobal. com
Eric Johnson, Technology 213.444.9326, eric. johnson @ spglobal. com
Greg Knowler, Europe + 44.797.679.8770, greg. knowler @ spglobal. com
Ari Ashe, Southeast Ports, Intermodal Rail 202.548.7895, ari. ashe @ spglobal. com
Michael Angell, Northeast ports, 646.505.4712, michael. angell @ spglobal. com
Data Hub Manager: Marcin Lejk, + 44.58.741.6270, marcin. lejk @ spglobal. com
Shipper Engagement Manager: Annalee Witte, 317.941.8130, annalee. witte @ spglobal. com
Senior Editor, Special Projects: Alessandra Gregory Barrett, 860.248.5238, alessandra. barrett @ spglobal. com
Senior Associate Editor, Special Projects: Ariane Herrera, 215.789.7478, ariane. Herrera @ spglobal. com
Special Projects Coordinator: Amanda Hunter, 212.205.1226, amanda. hunter @ spglobal. com
Senior Designer: Sue Abt, sue. abt @ spglobal. com
Associate Production Editor: Ivan Klos, ivan. klos @ spglobal. com
Designer: Hannah Kidd, + 44 203 253 2134, hannah. kidd @ spglobal. com
Sales: Cindy Cronin, Executive Director 954.260.6061, cindy. cronin @ spglobal. com
Jean Gibbons, Senior Sales Executive West Coast, FL, GA sales, 706.469.7160
Kimberly Davis Guerra, Senior Sales Executive Midwest, Gulf, Latin America sales, 832.370.6350
John Knowles, Sales Manager APAC, EMEA, AU sales, + 44.777.997.4677
Allyson Marek, Senior Sales Executive Northeast sales, 727.337.3010
Elaine Nosaka, Senior Sales Executive VA, NC, SC, Canada sales, 703.447.9555
For Magazine Subscription Customer Service: www. joc. com / help 55 Water St., 39th Floor, New York, N. Y. 10041
Peter Tirschwell, Vice President- Shipping Intellience, S & P Global
Chris Brooks, Executive Director- Shipping Intelligence, S & P Global
Carmen Verenna, Head of Operations
© 2026 Journal of Commerce— All Rights Reserved For more information, visit our website, www. joc. com.
4 Journal of Commerce | June 2026 www. joc. com