Relentless: Ryan Petersen on Trade, Tariffs, and the Fragile Global Supply Chain

Global logistics is the hidden engine of power, and Ryan Petersen shows how trade rules, tariffs, and chokepoints can reshape the world. In this condensed version of Relentless, host Ti Morse talks with Flexport founder and CEO Ryan Petersen about Incoterms, customs risk, import fraud, and why terms like FOB and DDP can decide who pays what across the supply chain. This short recap trims the full episode down to the key ideas, so you can grasp the big-picture lessons fast. Petersen also connects modern shipping to history, from the Dutch East India Company and the Opium Wars to today’s Red Sea, Hormuz, Suez, and Panama vulnerabilities. Along the way, you’ll learn why tariffs create incentives to cheat, how national security intersects with logistics, and why the global economy is resilient until it suddenly isn’t. Listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.