The threat of steep tariffs on Chinese ship-to-shore cranes is upending plans to modernize American ports, even after the Trump administration paused the new duties for a year.

Shipping industry executives say the 100% levies—part of a wider campaign to blunt China’s maritime dominance—are prompting port operators to rethink projects to add bigger, modern cranes to U.S. docks. Instead, the WSJ Logistics Report’s Paul Berger writes, ports are considering extending the life of old equipment by updating technology systems or enlarging cranes so they can load and unload larger containerships.

American officials are concerned that the U.S. is too reliant for equipment on China. Although President Trump paused the 100% duties for a year as part of the larger China trade deal, shipping industry officials say that isn’t long enough to risk buying cranes that take a minimum of two years from order to delivery. They add that the shifting trade policy makes it difficult to plan investments.

One entrepreneur’s cargo-theft nightmare started this summer, when a $4 million shipment of skin-care products never arrived. Days after the goods went missing, items branded with his company’s name popped up for sale online.

The WSJ’s Ruth Simon tells the story of Max Medroso’s monthslong hunt to find the perpetrators of a crime that is booming and growing in sophistication: Cargo-theft reports have more than doubled in five years, with over $325 million in goods reported stolen this year. Medroso’s goods allegedly passed through a chain of little-known distributors, liquidators and third-party sellers, according to a 180-page lawsuit.

At least 18 individuals and businesses allegedly participated in the theft or sale of the stolen goods. Many of those firms, however, deny any knowledge that the goods were stolen and say they acted in good faith. 

Billionaire tech investor Masayoshi Son is hammering out details of a plan that could allow him to marshal hundreds of billions of dollars to build Trump-branded industrial parks around the U.S..

The facilities would be built largely on federal land, using funds pledged by the Japanese government as part of a recent trade deal the Journal's Robbie Whelan, Eliot Brown and Josh Dawsey write. They would produce components for AI infrastructure, according to people familiar with the discussions. The funds could begin flowing as soon as early 2026.

President Trump has signaled that he supports the Softbank Group CEO’s plan in concept, according to people familiar with the matter. Discussions between SoftBank and the administration continue.

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, President Trump, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to work toward renewing the existing North American trade treaty. (WSJ)
• Consumer sentiment rose to 53.3 in December from 51 in November, according to a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s monthly index, exceeding economists’ forecasts of 52. (WSJ)
• The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation held below 3% in September, and indicated a moderate month-over-month increase in prices. (WSJ)
• Canada’s jobless rate decreased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 6.5% in November, reaching its lowest level in 16 months. (WSJ)
• The eurozone economy grew at a faster pace than previously estimated in the three months through September, aided by a rebound in investment spending. (WSJ)
• German manufacturing orders increased by 1.5% in October, driven by a 9.9% jump in domestic orders and a large-scale transport equipment order. (WSJ)
• The market for First Brands Group’s bankruptcy loans cratered as lenders became skittish about erosion in the auto supplier’s financial situation, according to people familiar with the matter. (WSJ)
• Excelsior Sciences secured $95 million to produce drug compounds in the U.S., part of an industry drive to reduce dependence on other nations for materials used in medications. (WSJ)
• Southwest Airlines cut its profit guidance for the year, citing rising fuel costs and lost revenue from this fall’s U.S. government shutdown. (WSJ)
• The large-scale return of containerships to the Red Sea came a step closer with CMA CGM saying its Indamex service will start transiting the Suez Canal, Xeneta said. (Dow Jones Newswires)
• President Trump ordered the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to probe the U.S. food supply chain for potential price fixing and other actions to drive up prices. (Bloomberg)
• China has purchased less than a quarter of the 12 million tons of U.S. soybeans it pledged to buy by year’s end as part of a trade deal with Washington. (Lloyd’s List)
• The Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration named tech and security company Peraton to lead the overhaul of the U.S.air-traffic control system. (SupplyChainBrain)

Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at mark.long@wsj.com. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long, Liz Young and Paul Berger.