EPISODE · Jul 23, 2026 · 43 MIN
Rates, tariffs, ZIM and what happens next, with Hapag-Lloyd and US retailers
from The Freight Buyers' Club · host Mike King
US container imports are heading for a record month, and then four months of decline. Mike King puts that to both sides of the transpacific: Torsten Hartmann, who runs the trade for Hapag-Lloyd, and Jon Gold of the National Retail Federation, representing America's retailers. They discuss where contract rates landed, why Hapag-Lloyd's long term rates are barely breaking even, what the ZIM deal would mean for the transpacific, and what happens to importers as one tariff expires and several more line up behind it. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/ 00:00 Welcome02:00 2026 in three words03:15 Hormuz and uncertainty05:50 Spot rates and contracts08:55 Hapag-Lloyd's profit upgrade10:50 Surcharges and the FMC13:40 Capacity and blank sailings17:15 Hapag-Lloyd's transpacific outlier18:58 The ZIM deal20:20 Consolidation and the regulator21:15 A record month, then the drop23:10 Imports against the consumer24:45 The tariff queue27:45 Forced labour tariffs30:10 Tariff refunds31:55 Sourcing and investment33:00 De minimis and e-commerce36:40 The shift to Southeast Asia37:30 Planning around policy38:40 As good as it gets?39:55 One ask each42:30 Terminal handling charges
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US container imports are heading for a record month, and then four months of decline. Mike King puts that to both sides of the transpacific: Torsten Hartmann, who runs the trade for Hapag-Lloyd, and Jon Gold of the National Retail Federation, representing America's retailers. They discuss where contract rates landed, why Hapag-Lloyd's long term rates are barely breaking even, what the ZIM deal would mean for the transpacific, and what happens to importers as one tariff expires and several more line up behind it. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/ 00:00 Welcome02:00 2026 in three words03:15 Hormuz and uncertainty05:50 Spot rates and contracts08:55 Hapag-Lloyd's profit upgrade10:50 Surcharges and the FMC13:40 Capacity and blank sailings17:15 Hapag-Lloyd's transpacific outlier18:58 The ZIM deal20:20 Consolidation and the regulator21:15 A record month, then the drop23:10 Imports against the consumer24:45 The tariff queue27:45 Forced labour tariffs30:10 Tariff refunds31:55 Sourcing and investment33:00 De minimis and e-commerce36:40 The shift to Southeast Asia37:30 Planning around policy38:40 As good as it gets?39:55 One ask each42:30 Terminal handling charges
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Rates, tariffs, ZIM and what happens next, with Hapag-Lloyd and US retailers
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