The Freight Buyers' Club

Container carriers are pulling sailings on purpose, missing their own reliability targets, and posting some of their strongest profits in years. Mike King is joined by Nils Roche, Founder of Solvens Advisory and a former liner executive with senior roles at CMA CGM, Maersk and PIL, and Mark Chadwick, President of the Global Shippers' Association, representing some of the world's biggest cargo owners. He's one of the largest buyers in the industry, purchasing shipping capacity from both forwarders and carriers on behalf of his members. Topics include: carrier Q2 results, the gap between carrier reliability data and what shippers are actually experiencing, a 215% rise in blank sailings on some Asia lanes, the latest on Hormuz and Red Sea routing, a forecast "Godzilla" El Niño, record-low Rhine water levels, Panama Canal draft restrictions, and the current US tariff picture. This episode is sponsored by Dimerco Express Group (https://dimerco.com/), your trading partner connecting Asia with the US and beyond. Big thanks to Xeneta for sharing their exclusive reliability data.   Notes Links to Nils Roche, 2025 prediction on The Freight Buyers’ Club: https://youtube.com/shorts/-xxM1JS3mOU Link Hapag-Lloyd Vs US Retailers: Container Rates, Tariffs, ZIM And What Happens Next featuring Torsten Hartmann from Hapag-Lloyd and Jon Gold is VP for Supply Chain and Customs Policy at the National Retail Federation. https://youtu.be/HAeb1TjRupE Articles: Asian port congestion forcing container lines back to the Red Sea https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/containers/asian-port-congestion-forcing-container-lines-back-to-the-red-sea Rhine cut in two as European drought cripples inland shipping https://splash247.com/rhine-cut-in-two-as-european-drought-cripples-inland-shipping/   #ContainerShipping #SupplyChain #FreightBuyersClub #OceanFreight #Logistics #PeakSeason #Reliability #RedSea #ElNino #Tariffs

Mike King speaks with Adrien Thominet, Chairman and Founder of AERION, about why the GSSA model at the heart of air cargo is being reinvented from the ground up. Thominet explains how AERION has moved beyond the classic GSSA structure, building out dedicated arms for pharma (Healthcare), e-commerce (Mail & More), total cargo management (TCE) and digital transformation (CargoTech), all under one corporate umbrella. He makes the case that airlines are increasingly comfortable outsourcing more of their commercial and operational activity, and why AERION believes there's a limited window to lead that shift before the air cargo industry consolidates around a smaller number of players. The conversation covers: Why AERION thinks the GSSA concept needs to evolve into something closer to a "general logistics agent" How network scale let AERION pivot capacity from Dubai to Lebanon within weeks during regional disruption Where air cargo trade lanes are shifting, from China-to-Brazil e-commerce growth to hyperscaler demand out of Asia Dynamic pricing, shrinking planning windows, and why shippers are being pushed toward shorter-term commitments Which region Thominet flags as air cargo's most fragile market right now A hint at two acquisitions AERION plans to announce in the coming months This episode is brought to you by Dimerco Express Group, connecting Asia with the world: https://www.dimerco.com/ Guest: Adrien Thominet, Chairman & Founder, AERION LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrien-thominet-48585371/ Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-aerion/ #AirCargo #FreightForwarding #GSSA #Logistics #SupplyChain #AERION #AirFreight #GlobalTrade #Aviation #CargoIndustry

Aytekin Saray, CEO of Global GSA Group, joins The Freight Buyers Club at Air Cargo China in Shanghai to explain where he sees air cargo's next growth, and why much of it sits in markets the GSA sector has underserved. Saray describes Africa as a major gap, with the Indian subcontinent, South America and the Middle East close behind, and says even competitors are thin on the ground in some of these regions. He talks through the group's moves into Egypt and Pakistan, an imminent Pakistan announcement, and his interest in Saudi Arabia. He argues that political tension, which he sees as more US and Western in origin, keeps re-engineering trade routes, and that the cargo industry feels the impact first. The conversation also covers the case for consolidation among GSAs, Saray's warning that too many unregulated players are undercutting rates, the shift from selling capacity to total corridor management, the role of CargoTech and automation in a more integrated GSA model, and what Amazon, UPS and e-commerce mean for the business. Saray predicts most of the market will still rely on GSAs. Guest: Aytekin Saray, CEO, Global GSA Group. Recorded at Air Cargo China, Shanghai. This episode is brought to you by Dimerco Express Group, your freight forwarder for connections from Asia to the rest of the world: https://dimerco.com/ #AirCargo #AirFreight #GSA #Logistics #SupplyChain #FreightForwarding #Cargo #AirCargoChina #GlobalGSAGroup #CargoTech #Ecommerce #Africa #India #MiddleEast #TheFreightBuyersClub #Dimerco

Anchorage keeps growing while air cargo from Asia to Europe falls away. Same freight, opposite directions. Mike King and Neel Jones Shah unpack a freight market pulling apart, with Sean Dolan of NorthLink Aviation on why Ted Stevens Anchorage is booming, and Neil Wilson of TAC Index, calculating agent for the Baltic Air Freight Indices, on rates and jet fuel. Also this month: war and tariffs reshaping the map, the end of EU de minimis, the AI and semiconductor boom filling Asian carriers, Farnborough's order book, Dimerco's survey of 57 Asia-Pacific shippers, and Glyn Hughes handing over the top job at TIACA to Mammen Tharakan. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group, your partner for Asia sourcing, manufacturing and China-plus-one supply chains. https://dimerco.com/ 00:00 Welcome and coming up this month01:00 Two disruptions: war and tariffs02:00 Houthis blockade Saudi Arabia, Red Sea at risk04:00 Neel on the Middle East and the tariff scramble08:00 Asia-Europe volumes collapse after de minimis11:00 Anchorage: the world's third-busiest cargo hub12:00 Sean Dolan: what's driving Anchorage's growth13:00 Sean Dolan: the route picture and peak season14:00 Neel: e-commerce, AI, and the transpacific boom16:00 Neel: the debt behind the AI cargo boom18:00 Rates: Neil Wilson, TAC Index22:00 Seoul and Taiwan: the semiconductor lanes24:00 Jet fuel: why it's not feeding through yet29:00 Farnborough: MSC's order and DHL's converted freighter32:00 Dimerco's shipper survey and ocean volatility36:00 TIACA: Glyn Hughes hands over to Mammen Tharakan #AirCargo #Logistics #SupplyChain #Freight #AirCargoUnpacked

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

Carolin Gerstenmaier, Head of Industry Development at Lufthansa Cargo, joins the Freight Buyers Club at Air Cargo China in Shanghai to talk through the two highest value, fastest growing industries in air freight: semiconductors and pharma. She walks through why a single chip can involve up to ten separate air freight movements, how semiconductor manufacturing has shifted from the US and Europe to Asia over the last 30 years, and why radioactive cancer treatments are now flight critical logistics, needing to reach a patient within 24 hours. The conversation also covers sustainability pressure from customers, AI and real time tracking, and how Lufthansa Cargo's network adapts to geopolitical disruption. This episode is sponsored by Dimerco Express Group, connecting Asia to the rest of the world. Find out more at https://dimerco.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Pharma and semiconductors: the growth outlook 01:56 How semiconductor demand has shifted to Asia 02:56 Why semiconductors aren't a one size fits all business 03:57 Building a consistent modular offer across the supply chain 04:41 China plus one and the shift in manufacturing origin 06:04 Lufthansa Cargo's role across the supply chain 06:41 Pharma: the second largest growing industry 07:38 Blockbuster medicine versus specialised, individualised medicine 08:52 Cold chain, speed and flight critical logistics 09:24 Sustainability and AI driven tracking 10:59 Geopolitics, tariffs and network adaptability 12:14 Compliance, certification and the GDP/CEIV framework 13:37 Where semiconductors and pharma go next

Recorded at Air Cargo China in Shanghai, Mike sits down with Cédric Millet, President of CargoTech, for an exclusive look at how one company is pulling air cargo's software under a single roof. CargoTech is a holding company, backed by the same owner as ECS Group, the world's largest cargo GSA. It brings together specialist software companies, each focused on its own domain. Millet's pitch is a simple one: "we know cargo." He argues that because the portfolio's leaders came out of airlines, forwarders and GSAs, their software is built to solve cargo's real pain points, a claim he draws in contrast to the wave of generic tech newcomers now entering the space. What Mike and Cédric get into: Millet's case for why a group of specialists beats one do-everything platform The "we know cargo" argument, and why he thinks domain expertise wins How the group aims to cover the airline's full commercial chain, from capacity and revenue management to forecasting, distribution and charters His claim that CargoTech covers around 75% of airline needs today, and plans to expand into cargo operations, compliance and sanctions checks The 105 airlines and 20,000+ forwarders he says are connected The new Kuala Lumpur hub Why he sees clean data as the foundation Where AI actually fits, with Millet framing co-pilots and agentic automation as tools rather than the headline This episode of The Freight Buyers Club is brought to you by Dimerco Express Group, your forwarding partner for transport from Asia to the rest of the world. Big thanks to Dimerco for supporting independent journalism. Find out more at https://dimerco.com/ Guest: Cédric Millet, President of CargoTech, and Chief Strategy & Digital Officer, ECS Group

Mike King is in Shanghai for Air Cargo China, and he sat down with Kathy Liu, VP global sales and marketing at Dimerco Express Group, for a fast read on what is really moving across ocean and air. Container rates have climbed since March, and Kathy explains the mix behind it: vessels tied up by Middle East disruption, a shortage of empty boxes at key Asian origins, and shippers front-loading ahead of tariff deadlines. Peak season has arrived early on the transpacific, though underlying demand is flat, so it may fade early too. She maps where congestion has moved, from an automated Shanghai that is coping to multi-day berth waits at Nhava Sheva, Colombo and Singapore. On air cargo, the AI and data centre boom is rewriting the map. Taiwan to US capacity is tight and rates are high, a run Kathy expects to last three to five years. Components are being pulled towards AI builds ahead of laptops and PCs, which points to a consumer electronics squeeze later in the year. She closes on the sourcing shift into Mexico, Vietnam and West Africa, and why Chinese companies still hold most of the freight decisions. Her advice for shippers: stay agile, and watch the market daily. #Shipping #AirCargo #SupplyChain #Freight #ContainerShipping Timestamped show notes 00:00 Live from Dimerco's Shanghai office, ahead of Air Cargo China 01:00 Dimerco's China footprint: 70-plus offices, air, ocean, customs and bonded 01:30 Why ocean rates have soared since March 02:30 The empty container shortage at Asian origins 03:30 Fuel surcharges, transit times, and shippers switching to sea-air and cross-border trucking 04:30 An early peak season, but flat underlying demand 05:30 Port congestion: Shanghai coping, Nhava Sheva, Colombo and Singapore not 06:30 The Red Sea and Hormuz knock-on for congestion 07:00 Carrier consolidation and what shippers actually care about 08:00 EU de minimis ends, and why e-commerce volumes are holding 09:30 The AI and data centre boom driving air cargo 11:00 Taiwan to US capacity crunch, and components diverted from laptops 13:00 Is this structural or a spike? Kathy's three to five year view 14:30 Sourcing shifts into Mexico, Vietnam and West Africa 16:00 Why Chinese companies still control the freight 17:00 Kathy's advice for shippers in a black swan market

Trade wars used to be something economists told you to avoid. Nobody wins one, so you don't fight. That argument is over. In this episode of The Freight Buyers' Club, Mike King talks to trade economist Chad Bown about why the old rules-based system has gone, and what that means for anyone who sources, ships or moves cargo for a living. Chad Bown is the Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, host of the Trade Talks podcast, and a former chief economist at the US State Department. With Soumaya Keynes he has written How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy. We get into China's drive for one-way dependence, the weaponising of rare earths, the squeeze on developing economies, and why Europe is suddenly on the front line. Then we bring it back to the people listening. Where do you source when the map keeps changing? How do you find the hidden risk in your own supply chain? And what did companies like Apple do early that the rest are now scrambling to copy? If you buy freight, run a supply chain or decide where the factories go, this one is about the decade ahead. Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists. Trade wars used to be something economists told you to avoid. Nobody wins one, so you don't fight. That argument is over. In this episode of The Freight Buyers' Club, Mike King talks to trade economist Chad Bown about why the old rules-based system has gone, and what that means for anyone who sources, ships or moves cargo for a living. Chad Bown is the Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, host of the Trade Talks podcast, and a former chief economist at the US State Department. With Soumaya Keynes he has written How to Win a Trade War: An Optimistic Guide to an Anxious Global Economy. We get into China's drive for one-way dependence, the weaponising of rare earths, the squeeze on developing economies, and why Europe is suddenly on the front line. Then we bring it back to the people listening. Where do you source when the map keeps changing? How do you find the hidden risk in your own supply chain? And what did companies like Apple do early that the rest are now scrambling to copy? If you buy freight, run a supply chain or decide where the factories go, this one is about the decade ahead. Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists. Notes: Shoumitro Chatterjee and Arvind Subramanian, “China’s mercantilist squeeze on developing countries,” PIIE Working Paper, May 2026. Arvind Subramanian talks to Chad Bown. https://tradetalkspodcast.com/podcast/215-how-chinas-trade-is-holding-back-developing-countries/  

Richard Broekman, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Sustainability at Atlas Air, joins Mike King and Neel Jones Shah for the June episode of Air Cargo Unpacked. Atlas flies 113 widebody freighters, around 13% of the world's widebody freighter fleet, so few people have a better view of where this market is heading. Richard gives a first-hand account of how Atlas managed the US de minimis shock in 2025 - which came on top of ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs - by redeploying capacity to Latin America almost overnight, and what it tells us about the EU's de minimis deadline coming on July 1. We also dig into why freight rates are soaring even as IATA cuts its 2026 demand forecast to 0.7%; the hyperscaler data centre boom reshaping the transpacific; the charter surge through the war in Iran; Atlas Air's record Airbus A350 freighter order and the lingering Boeing 777X question; the Air Atlanta investment; and an honest take on sustainable aviation fuel. Rates analysis from Neil Wilson, editor of TAC Index, calculating agent for the Baltic Air Freight Indices. A Freight Buyers' Club production, brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists.

China's exports to the US have fallen, but China hasn't slowed down. It has redirected. In this clip from the latest episode of The Freight Buyers' Club, Nigel Pusey, CEO of Container Trades Statistics, walks through where the cargo is going now: Sub-Saharan Africa up 33% in Q1 2026, South and Central America up 17%, India up 17%. He explains why this started before the latest round of tariffs, and how a logistics revolution in West Africa, with 20,000 TEU ships now calling Lagos, is making it possible. Watch or listen to the full episode for the complete picture, including the European trade imbalance, the Strait of Hormuz, and Nigel's predictions for the rest of the year. Links on the channel. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. #ContainerShipping #GlobalTrade #SupplyChain #ChinaTrade #Logistics

The first episode of FBC Opinion, a new series from The Freight Buyers' Club. One expert, one argument, straight to camera, no host. In 2019, Akhil Nair wrote that container shipping would consolidate from 22 carriers to 12 within four years. Not through mergers. Through game theory. Seven years later, the count is exactly twelve. In this opinion piece, Akhil audits his own 2019 thesis. What he got right, what he got wrong, and why the equilibrium that has held container shipping together for seven years is now starting to break. His argument is that the equilibrium rested on five load-bearing conditions, and all five are under pressure at the same time. Ownership consolidation is back, with Hapag-Lloyd's acquisition of ZIM. Geopolitical risk is biting, with Iran's controlled zone over the UAE gateway ports. The Red Sea remains diverted. The EU's Consortia Block Exemption Regulation has expired. And MSC's independence, which has quietly stabilised the whole system, might no longer be guaranteed. Take any one away and the system holds. All five at once is a different story. If you are a BCO, shipper or freight buyer structuring contracts for 2026 to 2028, the closing section sets out three things you should be doing now. Akhil Nair is Operating Officer and Global Head of Freight Forwarding at LOGISTEED, which operates across 27 countries with 474 locations and handles 400,000 TEU annually. FBC Opinion brings leading freight buyers, BCOs and supply chain figures to camera to make one strong argument on the issues shaping container shipping, air cargo and global trade. Subscribe for new episodes. This episode is produced with the support of freight forwarder profitability specialist Ontegos Cloud. https://www.ontegos.cloud/ #containershipping #supplychain #freight #oceancarriers #logisticsAkhil Nair is Operating Officer and Global Head of Freight Forwarding at LOGISTEED.#containershipping #supplychain #freight #oceancarriers #logistics

Forget Trump's tariffs. The biggest story in container shipping isn't what's happening at America's ports. It's what's happening everywhere else. In the first quarter of 2026, the global container market grew 4.4% despite the Strait of Hormuz being shut, fresh war in the Middle East, and Cape of Good Hope sailings now stretching east-west trade to breaking point. But underneath the headlines, the trade map is being redrawn. Greater China's container exports to the United States fell 1.8 million TEU in 2025, and Container Trades Statistics is forecasting a similar net loss this year. Southeast Asia has picked up around a million TEU of that lost volume, but a net 800,000 boxes a year are now simply not going to America. China hasn't slowed down. It has redirected. In Q1 2026, Sub-Saharan Africa imports were up 33% on the same quarter a year earlier. South and Central America up 17%. India up 17%. These are the trades that will define container shipping for the rest of the decade. To make sense of where the container market is actually heading, Mike King is joined by Nigel Pusey, CEO of Container Trades Statistics (CTS) and a 30-year veteran of Maersk Line and P&O Nedlloyd. CTS produces the most comprehensive dataset in container shipping, drawing about 75% of its data direct from the lines' own manifests and invoices. In this episode, produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group, Mike and Nigel cover: Why the Greater China-to-US trade is in decline and what's filled part of the gap How Vietnam absorbed half of the Southeast Asia growth into the US, with Thailand taking about a third and Cambodia 10-15% Why Far East to Europe imports surged 15% in Q1 2026, and whether it's genuine demand or defensive stockpiling The widening Asia-Europe imbalance, now 3.5 boxes inbound for every box out, and what it means for European manufacturing How the Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping container flows, with Saudi Red Sea ports and trans-desert land bridges emerging as the new winners Why the Cape of Good Hope routing looks increasingly permanent and why Suez may not reopen this year The container trades primed to keep growing through 2027 and beyond Why peak season may not happen this year, and what oil prices could do to global demand Why intra-Asia trade, the world's biggest container market at over 50 million TEU, keeps motoring  If you buy, sell, plan or move freight, this is one of the clearest reads on where the container market is actually heading. Special thanks to Dimerco Express Group for supporting this episode of The Freight Buyers' Club. Find out more about their transpacific, Asia logistics and tariff compliance services at https://dimerco.com/ Notes: The Good, The Bad, and the ANC: South Africa’s Logistics on the Brink Watch here: https://youtu.be/POyM0kHGMeg #FreightBuyersClub #ContainerShipping #SupplyChain #GlobalTrade #Logistics #ChinaTrade #TrumpTariffs #VietnamManufacturing #ChinaPlusOne #Dimerco #CTS #ContainerTradesStatistics #MaritimeLogistics #FreightMarket #OceanFreight #StraitOfHormuz #CapeOfGoodHope

In this clip from The Freight Buyers' Club, three of the sharpest minds in logistics technology give three very different answers to the same question: in three years, which type of company wins? Zubin Appoo, CEO of WiseTech Global, says integrated platforms with AI at the core displace everything else. Wolfgang Lehmacher, former Head of Supply Chain at the World Economic Forum, backs the ecosystem orchestrators. Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor at the Journal of Commerce, thinks the industry stays fragmented, just in a new way. No consensus. No easy answers. Worth checking out. Watch the full episode here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX9C1d4HwNA Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7xPnfH2JgjCmIjhGiV1w7F Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-wins-the-ai-race-in-logistics-and-who-gets-left-behind/id1668766055?i=1000766413060 Website: https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com/podcast/who-wins-the-ai-race-in-logistics-and-who-gets-left-behind/   #AI #Logistics #FreightTech #SupplyChain #FreightForwarding #CargoWise #WiseTechGlobal #LogisticsTech #FreightBuyersClub #SupplyChainTech

Is Amazon replacing the 3PL? In this episode of Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and co-host Neel Jones Shah dig into Amazon Supply Chain Services and what it really means for third party logistics providers, freight forwarders and the air cargo market. Is this a genuine supply chain management revolution or just a repackaging of existing services? Also in this May episode: the Middle East capacity recovery -- Rotate's latest data on the Gulf region and what 74% recovery actually means for shippers. Neil Wilson, Editor of TAC Index and calculating agent for the Baltic Air Freight indices, unpacks the rates picture -- including the extraordinary Europe-Dubai lane, up 140% year on year as Emirates capacity collapsed. Shantanu Gangakhedkar of Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific on air cargo demand in the region and the scenarios that frame what happens next, from the Strait of Hormuz to growing e-commerce volumes. Jet fuel up almost 100% -- what the supply chain logistics implications are for carriers and shippers paying surcharges. ULD market disruption. And the FedEx MD-11 -- back in the skies despite all predictions. Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists. https://www.ontegos.cloud/ Co-host: Neel Jones Shah (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) Neil Wilson -- Editor, TAC Index Shantanu Gangakhedkar -- Principal Consultant and Aviation Lead, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Produced by Karen Ball and Tom Matthews #airfreight #3PL #supplychain #logistics #aviation #FedEx #MD11 #straitofhormuz #supplychainmanagement #aircargounpacked

The Trump administration’s tariff programme has suffered another legal defeat. The US Court of International Trade ruled 2-1 against the 10% Section 122 global surcharge, the replacement for the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court in February. So which tariffs are actually still standing, and what comes next?  Mike King is joined by Karen Kenney, founder and president of K2 Trade Solutions and Dimerco Express Group Trade Compliance Strategist, and Nancy O’Liddy, Executive Director of the National Industrial Transportation League, to map out the current tariff landscape, explain how the four remaining pillars stack, and look at what the $166 billion CAPE refund process means in practice for importers.  They also get into tariff fraud, including transshipment evasion, the growing risk of refund interception through the CAPE portal, and double-brokering in US domestic freight. Plus: diesel prices up 60% year on year, carrier surcharges, the Federal Maritime Commission’s pushback, and what the war in the Middle East actually means for shipping costs. And Nancy O’Liddy on why the NITL is calling for the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger to be denied.  A wide-ranging, practical episode for anyone managing freight costs or supply chain risk in 2026.  Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group: https://dimerco.com Contents 0:03:00 The Section 122 ruling: another legal defeat for Trump tariffs 0:06:00 Which tariffs are actually still standing? 0:08:00 The global tariff map: what it means by country and product 0:11:00 Tariff stacking explained: how 80% ends up on a tin can 0:15:00 The $166 billion refund: how the CAPE process is working in practice 0:23:00 Transshipment fraud: the $107 billion evasion problem 0:30:00 Refund fraud and the risk building around the CAPE portal 0:34:00 Double-brokering and domestic freight fraud 0:37:00 Fuel costs: diesel up 60% and what it means for shippers 0:47:00 Rail consolidation: why NITL is calling for the UP/NS merger to be denied   Related episode Carrier consolidation, AI & freight fraud: Gebrüder Weiss North America CEO Mark McCullough https://youtu.be/N7kVfrHfAAo   Data and press credits Data and graphics: TPC Tariff Rules Engine v1.6 | American Automobile Association Press coverage cited: The Guardian | The New York Times | Dow Jones Risk Journal (Liz Young, 28 April 2026) | The Washington Post (Linda Miller, 23 April 2026) | Journal of Commerce Research cited: Gaia Dynamics, “The Refund Trap: Why IEEPA Recovery Can Trigger Hidden Compliance Exposure”, 21 April 2026 | Altana AI, tariff evasion report, April 2026   Follow the Freight Buyers’ Club  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mjDlZfKPFAnZwZeTNsiej?si=465c7c68316e4a0c Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-freight-buyers-club/id1668766055 Website: thefreightbuyersclub.com #TrumpTariffs #TradeWar #SupplyChain #FreightBuying #Logistics

In this clip from The Freight Buyers' Club's latest AI and logtech special, Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor at the Journal of Commerce, gives freight buyers and logistics operators a practical framework for cutting through the AI vendor noise. He covers how he evaluates vendor claims as a journalist, why the compulsion to understand how AI works is the wrong instinct, what blockchain taught us about technology hype, and the specific questions every buyer should be putting to vendors before they commit. #AI #Logistics #FreightTech #SupplyChain #FreightBuying #LogisticsTech #ArtificialIntelligence #FreightForwarding #FreightBuyersClub #SupplyChainTech

On April 7th this year, Anthropic released an AI model called Claude Mythos. It was so capable at finding vulnerabilities in software that the company restricted access to around fifty organisations. The US Treasury summoned the biggest banks. The Pentagon had already stepped in. The Economist called it a watershed moment. In this episode of The Freight Buyers' Club, Mike King uses the Mythos moment as the way in to a much bigger conversation about AI and the future of logistics technology. Who controls the most powerful tools? What happens inside a company when AI actually lands? What does it mean for jobs, for compliance risk, for tribal knowledge, and for the competitive structure of the freight industry itself? Joining Mike are: Zubin Appoo, CEO of WiseTech Global, the company behind CargoWise Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor at the Journal of Commerce, part of S&P Global Wolfgang Lehmacher, former Head of Supply Chain and Transport Industries at the World Economic Forum In this episode: The Mythos moment and what gated AI access means for freight Fragmentation vs scale: the technology debate reshaping the industry What AI actually does inside a logistics company when it lands Tribal knowledge: what happens when the repetitive work disappears Digital twins, compliance risk and the case for optimism  00:00 - Cold Open: The Mythos Moment00:01 - Meet the Panel00:03 - AI as a Controlled Substance: Framing the Debate00:04 - Eric Johnson: Manhattan Project and the Two-Tier Access Question00:06 - Wolfgang Lehmacher: Palantir, Government Relationships and Structural Advantage00:09 - Zubin Appoo: Where CargoWise Sits When AI Gets Gated00:11 - Fragmentation vs Scale: The Concentration Risk Debate00:13 - Inside the WiseTech Restructure00:17 - Intelligent Logistics: How AI Changes What Platforms Can Do00:20 - The Mid-Market Forwarder: Opportunity or Threat?00:21 - Eric Johnson: Cutting Through the AI Vendor Noise00:28 - Tribal Knowledge: What Disappears When the Repetitive Work Goes?00:34 - Wolfgang Lehmacher: Data Sharing, Digital Twins and Resilience00:44 - Compliance Risk: Where AI Actually Changes the Game00:52 - Who Wins in Three Years, and Is There a Case for Optimism? #AI #Logistics #FreightTech #SupplyChain #CargoWise #FreightBuyersClub #WiseTechGlobal #ArtificialIntelligence #FreightForwarding #SupplyChainTech

When markets break, most industries struggle. Freight forwarders? They often make more. In this episode of the Freight Buyers’ Club, Oliver Gritz (former CFO of DHL Express and Founder & CEO of Ontegos Cloud) explains why crisis creates opportunity in freight—and why some forwarders thrive while others fall behind. From war-driven disruption and supply chain chaos to liquidity stress and missed revenue, we break down what’s really happening inside freight forwarding in 2026. If you’re in freight, logistics, or global trade—this is what separates the winners from everyone else. What you’ll learn: Why forwarders make more money in volatile markets The role of data in real-time supply chain decisions Where forwarders lose 3–5% of profit (and how to fix it) How top performers manage cash flow under pressure What “winning the crisis” actually looks like operationally About the guest: Oliver Gritz is the Founder & CEO of Ontegos Cloud and former CFO of DHL Express. With decades of experience inside global logistics, he now advises freight forwarders on profitability, data, and operational performance. Listen / follow Freight Buyers’ Club: Podcast: https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefreightbuyersclub2866 #FreightForwarding #Logistics #SupplyChain

Gulf air cargo hubs have taken a serious hit since the Middle East war began. The world's most strategically positioned freight network is under pressure - and the industry wants to know if it comes back. In this segment from the latest Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and Neel Jones Shah sit down with Ram Menen - the man who spent nearly 28 years building Emirates SkyCargo and helped make Dubai one of the great global freight hubs - to ask the question the whole industry is asking: do the Gulf hubs come back, and how long does it take? Together they cover the hub geography, the belly cargo and passenger confidence question, how this crisis ranks against Gulf War I, 9/11, SARS and COVID, whether forwarders building alternative routes creates a permanent market shift, and why Ram believes air cargo recovers faster than ocean shipping. Ram's verdict: Gulf War III. Temporary setback, not existential crisis. The full episode also features exclusive air cargo rate analysis from TAC Index, calculating agent for the Baltic Exchange Baltic Air Freight Indices, plus Bachi Spiga from DHL Express Middle East and North Africa on how DHL kept every country in the region served from day two of the conflict. Full episode: ▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/YQROEd_DSAc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OW32v9r8ZVejCWJ5oiB8r?si=beb29a01eeaf414b Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/air-cargo-unpacked-middle-east-war-fuel-crisis-capacity/id1668766055?i=1000761786379 thefreightbuyersclub.com: https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com/podcast/air-cargo-unpacked-middle-east-war-fuel-crisis-capacity-disruption-and-global-fallout/ Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, freight forwarder profitability specialists: https://www.ontegos.cloud/ #AirCargo #AirFreight #MiddleEast #GulfAirCargo #Emirates #AirCargoUnpacked #FreightBuyersClub #OntegosCloud #BalticAirFreightIndex #TACIndex  

The Middle East war that began on February 28th has sent shockwaves through global air cargo. Jet fuel has nearly doubled. Gulf hub capacity is still less than 60% of normal. And a fragile ceasefire has done little to restore confidence in the region's critical air corridors. In this episode of Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and Neel Jones Shah are joined by air cargo legend Ram Menen, who spent nearly 28 years building Emirates SkyCargo and helped make Dubai one of the great global freight hubs. Ram gives his verdict on what this crisis means for the region, how it compares to Gulf War I, 9/11 and COVID, and whether the Gulf's geographic advantage can survive the damage. We also have Bachi Spiga, VP Network Operations at DHL Express Middle East and North Africa, on how DHL rewired its entire regional operation to keep trade moving, and Neil Wilson and Peyton Burnett from TAC Index, calculating agent for the Baltic Air Freight Indices, on what the rate data is telling us right now. And we walk through exclusive capacity and fuel analysis from Rotate, giving a granular picture of what has actually happened to the global network since February 28th. Produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists. https://www.ontegos.cloud/ In this episode we cover: Ram Menen on the history, the crisis and why he calls this a temporary setback rather than an existential threat to Gulf aviation Why the ceasefire changes less than you might think, and what actually needs to happen before normal returns Gulf recovery airport by airport, with Dubai at 54%, Doha at 50%, Bahrain and Kuwait at zero Global capacity shifts by trade lane, including a 28% surge on Asia-Europe as carriers bypass the Gulf Why jet fuel is still 70% above pre-conflict levels despite easing on ceasefire news Southeast Asia's fuel import dependency and why Vietnam, Hong Kong and Australia are most at risk How DHL rewired its Middle East network to keep trade moving Rate movements across the key corridors since February 28th, with Baltic Air Freight Index data from TAC Index The 777-200 freighter conversion approval and whether it moves the needle on the capacity crunch Journalism featured in this episode: Damian Brett, Air Cargo News: "Airfreight recovery could take months after US-Iran ceasefire" Greg Knowler, Journal of Commerce: "Rising jet fuel costs challenging freighter viability as war enters second month" Eric Kulisch, FreightWaves: "FAA approves 1st Boeing 777-200 passenger-to-freighter conversion" Data: TAC Index / Baltic Air Freight Indices. Rotate. #AirCargo #AirFreight #MiddleEast #GulfAirCargo #FreightRates #JetFuel #SupplyChain #Logistics #FreightBuyersClub #AirCargoUnpacked #OntegosCloud #BalticAirFreightIndex #TACIndex #DHL #Emirates

The Strait of Hormuz has been closed to commercial shipping since the end of February. One month on, the world is still counting the cost. Freight rates are rising, bunkers and jet fuel are running short, and the risk of escalation into the Red Sea and beyond is growing. In this episode of The Freight Buyers' Club, Mike King is joined by two of the most respected voices in the industry: Lars Jensen, CEO, Vespucci Maritime Greg Knowler, Europe Editor, Journal of Commerce Together they cover: ✅ Is the Middle East conflict actually a global shipping crisis — or a regional one? ✅ Container shipping rates: are we heading for a Red Sea-style spike or not? ✅ Bunker fuel shortages in Asia — why availability is becoming a bigger problem than price ✅ Jet fuel shortages and the collapse of air cargo capacity through Gulf hubs ✅ The intermodal alternatives: Saudi Red Sea ports, Khorfakkan, Salalah — and their limits ✅ The danger of escalation: Houthis, Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb and the eastern Mediterranean ✅ What US importers are facing on top of the existing tariff chaos ✅ Why supply chain resilience always loses out to efficiency — and what shippers can do about it ✅ Lars Jensen's forecast for container shipping rates in the weeks ahead Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group, leading Asia-Pacific freight forwarder and logistics provider. https://dimerco.com #MiddleEastConflict #ContainerShipping #GlobalTrade #SupplyChain #Freight #ShippingCrisis #Hormuz #AirCargo #BunkerFuel #FreightRates #SupplyChainResilience #FreightBuyersClub #LarsJensen #GregKnowler #Dimerco #OceanFreight #Logistics #Intermodal #RedSea #TradeDisruption

Recorded live at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Lima, Peru, Mike King sits down with Andres Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo, the cargo arm of the largest airline group in South America. Andres breaks down LATAM Cargo's network across North America, Europe and intra-South America, their fleet of 19 Boeing 767 freighters, and why 65% of their cargo is special cargo, dominated by perishables like Chilean salmon, Ecuadorian flowers and Peruvian fruit. We cover the structural changes hitting e-commerce and de minimis exemptions across Latin America, how LATAM Cargo planned for multiple tariff scenarios without having to implement most of them, and how the Middle East conflict is sending shockwaves through supply chains. Andres also explains how LATAM Cargo handles fuel surcharge transparency with customers in a volatile pricing environment, and outlines plans for 5 to 7% belly capacity growth in 2026, with a focus on cargo-heavy European routes including Amsterdam and Brussels. Topics covered: IATA World Cargo Symposium 2025 takeaways LATAM Cargo fleet and network overview Perishables, pharma and lithium battery cargo US tariffs, trade war and de minimis changes Middle East conflict and supply chain disruption Fuel surcharges and price volatility LATAM Cargo 2026 growth outlook This content is brought to you by Dimerco Express Group. Learn more at dimerco.com. #AirCargo #AirFreight #LATAMCargo #IATAWorldCargoSymposium #FreightBuyersClub #SouthAmericaFreight #Perishables #ColdChain #LogisticsPodcast #FreightPodcast #SupplyChain #Ecommerce #DeMinimis #Tariffs #TradeWar #FuelSurcharge #CargoFleet #FreightMarket #AirCargoIndustry #Dimerco  

Logistics technology promises a lot. But how do you know if a vendor is selling you reality or a roadmap? In this Freight Buyers' Club interview from TPM26 in Long Beach, Mike King sits down with independent logistics technology consultant Mike DeAngelis, who has worked across Maersk, INTTRA, WiseTech Global, project44 and FourKites, to get the questions every freight buyer and shipper should be asking before they commit. From clean versus dirty data to the risks of automating AI workflows on unreliable sources, Mike DeAngelis cuts through the sales pitch to give shippers a practical framework for evaluating any logistics tech platform. LogTech Industry veteran, ex - Maersk, INTTRA, WiseTech Global, p44, FourKites In this interview: Why the sales pitch and the software are often two different things What clean data actually means and why it matters for AI How to structure a vendor conversation around your use cases, not their features Why you should always ask for a live demo, not a PowerPoint The importance of getting your actual users in the room Why reference customers are one of the most valuable and underused evaluation tools Whether you are assessing a visibility platform, a TMS, or an AI-driven workflow tool, the framework here applies across the board. This content was brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, freight forwarder profitability specialists. #FreightBuyers #LogisticsTech #SupplyChain #FreightProcurement #AI #ShippingTech #FreightBuyersClub

Everyone's talking about AI. Peter Creeden thinks we're building on sand. Peter Creeden, MD of MPC International and advisor to the IMO's Port Call Optimization task force, joined Mike King at TPM26 in Long Beach to make the case that shipping's data foundations need to come before any AI investment. From the IMO's new PCO Guide to e-bills of lading, smart contracts, and scope three emissions reporting in Australia, Peter maps out the digital layer cake that has to exist before AI can actually deliver. If you're a freight buyer evaluating visibility platforms, digital tools, or AI-powered freight systems, this one is required viewing. Guest: Peter Creeden, MD, MPC International This content is brought to you by Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/] #FreightBuyersClub #TPM26 #SupplyChain #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalTransformation #Shipping #FreightTech #PortCallOptimization #IMO #LogisticsTech #EBillOfLading #Decarbonization #OceanFreight #FreightBuyers #SmartContracts

Air cargo doesn't stop for war. It reroutes. Jan Krems, President of United Cargo, joins Mike King at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Lima, Peru, for one of the most candid conversations in recent air freight memory. With Middle East airspace closed, fuel prices up sixty to seventy percent, and tariff policy shifting overnight, Jan explains how United keeps cargo moving when the world keeps throwing curveballs. His model is built on belly capacity, smart partnerships, and access to freighter space rather than ownership of it - a position he defends with characteristic Dutch directness. On the growth side, Jan talks through United's pharmaceutical business in India, new Southeast Asia services into Vietnam and Thailand, and where he sees opportunity in a market disrupted by both conflict and trade policy chaos. He also breaks down how United thinks about automation, AI, and the one thing technology still cannot replace: people with a cargo heart. Thirty-nine years in the industry. Twelve with United. And cargo, he says, is still sexy. Recorded live at WCS Lima, March 2026. This episode of the Freight Buyers Club is supported by Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome from WCS Lima 01:00 Five years of disruption: COVID, Ukraine and the Middle East 03:00 Middle East airspace closure: impact, fuel costs and workarounds 05:00 Tariffs: coping when policy changes overnight 07:00 India, pharma and new Southeast Asia routes 09:00 South America: how United serves the region 10:00 The freighter question: why Jan will never own one 11:30 Fleet investment, specialty products and the cool chain 13:00 AI, automation and the 50/25/25 booking model 14:30 Thirty-nine years in the industry and why cargo is still sexy #AirCargo #FreightBuyers #UnitedCargo #SupplyChain #Logistics #AirFreight #GlobalTrade #FreightMarket #Shipping #CargoIsSexy

The Middle East war sent shockwaves through global air cargo markets almost overnight. 18% of global capacity disappeared within 48 hours. Mike King sits down with Ray Zedov, Commercial Director at Rotate, at IATA World Cargo Symposium in Lima to break down what the data actually shows - from grounded Gulf carriers and rerouted integrators to Vietnam's supply chain surge and what shippers should be watching for in the months ahead. This content is proudly supported by Dimerco Express Group, your ideal freight forwarding partner for Transpacific Asia and beyond. Learn more at https://dimerco.com/ #AirCargo #MiddleEastWar #FreightBuyersClub #Rotate #Dimerco #AirCargoNews #SupplyChain #Freight #IATAWCS #Lima2026

Recorded live at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Lima, Air Cargo Unpacked brings together host Mike King, United Cargo President Jan Krems, TAC Index Founder Peyton Burnett and co-host Neel Jones Shah for the definitive air cargo briefing on the Middle East war. Capacity on the Asia-Europe corridor has collapsed by more than 40% on some routes. Charter prices have tripled. Jet fuel has hit levels not seen in years. And ocean shipping is in simultaneous chaos. This episode covers what's happening, why it matters, what freight buyers should do right now, and where this goes next. Sponsored by Ontegos Cloud — freight forwarder profitability specialists.

In this exclusive interview at TPM26 in Long Beach, Mike King is talking to Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, to discuss three of the biggest stories shaping container shipping right now. Rolf gives his take on the proposed Zim acquisition and what it means for freight buyers, the impact of US and Israeli strikes on Iran and what that means for ships currently stuck in the Persian Gulf, and whether a return to the Suez Canal is now further away than ever. He also shares his view on the container shipping supply and demand balance, why he sees underlying demand as still strong, and how shippers should think about US inventory levels and the transpacific market heading into the rest of 2026. This content is supported by Dimerco, a global freight forwarding and logistics network that believes in the value of independent journalism in the freight industry. Find out more at https://dimerco.com/ #TPM26 #ZimDeal #SuezCanal #IranStrikes #ContainerShipping #FreightMarket #HapagLloyd #LogisticsNews #SupplyChain #FreightBuyers

The US and Israel have struck Iran. The Supreme Court has struck down the IEEPA tariffs. And every freight buyer is asking the same question: what do we actually plan for now? Mike King sits down with Paul Bingham, Director of Transportation Consulting, Economics and Country Risk at S&P Global Market Intelligence, at TPM26 in Long Beach to make sense of it all. They cover: The Iran strikes and what they mean for oil prices, Hormuz and Gulf shipping lanes The Supreme Court IEEPA ruling and Trump's Section 122 replacement tariffs Tariff refunds: what importers need to know Why countries that did deals with Washington are now worse off than those that didn't Scorecard on US trade policy: did it work? Can freight buyers plan around blanket tariffs? The $901 billion US trade deficit: reshaped or just rerouted? Where inventories stand heading into 2026 The outlook for US imports in 2026 This episode is produced with the support of Dimerco Express, a leading freight forwarder and supply chain solutions provider across Asia and beyond. https://dimerco.com/

Freight buying strategy is being tested like never before. Tariff whiplash, carrier consolidation, AI adoption and nobody quite knows what comes next. Mark McCullough, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss North America, joins Mike King for a frank conversation about how one of the world's leading freight forwarders is navigating the uncertainty and what it means for shippers. They cover the proposed Hapag-Lloyd/ZIM merger and what less competition really means for freight buyers, why shippers are firmly in the driving seat on the Trans-Pacific right now, and how tariff uncertainty is forcing companies into three-tiered contingency strategies rather than long-term capital deployment. Mark also opens up about freight fraud costing Gebrüder Weiss hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, how sophisticated double-brokering scams are targeting freight forwarders, and what the industry needs to do about it. Plus an honest account of GW's automation journey, what's working, what's been expensive, and why bad data will kill your AI investment before it starts. And how a funeral, a few too many drinks, and a South African aunt launched one of North America's most senior freight executives into a career in logistics. Sponsored by OntegosCloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist. Featured:  Hapag-Lloyd Buys ZIM Explained: Why Freight Buyers Should Care https://youtu.be/4u6wCfwUvc0 Why Great Freight Forwarders Thrive in Chaos | #44 | Freight Buyers Club https://youtu.be/9yuq3xbkp_c The Good, The Bad, and the ANC: South Africa’s Logistics on the Brink https://youtu.be/POyM0kHGMeg Topics covered: 0:00 Introduction — Mike King welcomes Gebrüder Weiss North America CEO Mark McCullough and previews the episode 01:45 Hapag-Lloyd/ZIM Merger — Is carrier consolidation good for freight buyers or just less competition dressed up as efficiency? 03:00 Trans-Pacific Outlook — Excess capacity, blank sailings, depressed rates and what the next 12 to 18 months looks like 05:00 Shippers in the Driver's Seat — Why forwarders like GW actually prefer higher freight rates and what that means for contract season 07:00 Tariffs and Capital Deployment — Why uncertainty is stopping shippers from committing to long-term strategy and the three-tiered contingency approach 11:00 Freight Fraud Revealed — How double-brokering scams cost Gebrüder Weiss $600,000 in a single year and how they work in practice 16:00 Automation and AI at GW — Bots, document splitting, carrier vetting tech and how offshore teams are being upskilled 19:00 The Data Problem — Why bad data killed their AI investment early and what they had to do to fix it 21:30 Clean Data Advice — Mark's blunt advice to any company thinking about AI investment right now 22:00 How Mark Got Into Freight — A funeral, a few white wines and a South African aunt who changed everything

Hapag-Lloyd has agreed to acquire ZIM for $4.2 billion, creating a combined fleet of 400+ vessels. In this mini Freight Buyers' Club, Nils Roche (ex-CMA CGM, Maersk, PIL) breaks down what this deal means for the liner industry, for the Gemini Cooperation, for MSC, and crucially, for freight buyers. We cover: The deal structure and Israel's "golden share" carve-out What happens to ZIM's vessel sharing agreement with MSC How this strengthens Gemini and shifts alliance dynamics Fewer carriers = more blank sailing control Who's next? PIL, Wan Hai, HMM as potential targets The new M&A model: joint ventures with national stakes This mini Freight Buyers' Club is brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist: https://www.ontegoscloud.com Guest: Nils Roche, Founder of Solvens Advisory Host: Mike King

The freighter capacity crunch is real. In this episode of Air Cargo Unpacked, Mike King and Neel Jones Shah break down UPS retiring its MD-11 fleet, why the aircraft backlog won't normalise until the 2030s, and what it means for air cargo rates. Plus: Dimerco's Kathy Liu on Chinese New Year from Shanghai, exclusive rate analysis from TAC Index's Neil Wilson, and how de minimis policy changes are reshaping e-commerce flows out of China - with North America down 33% and Europe up 22%. We also cover Maersk dumping its 767s for 777s on trans-Pacific, and what the new US-India trade deal could mean for air freight demand. Featuring: Mike King, Host & Executive Producer Neel Jones Shah, Co-Host (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) Kathy Liu, VP Global Sales & Marketing, Dimerco Express Group Neil Wilson, Editor, TAC Index Air Cargo Unpacked is a monthly Freight Buyers' Club production, brought to you by OntegosCloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist. https://www.ontegos.cloud/ Subscribe for monthly air freight market analysis. #AirCargoUnpacked #FreightBuyersClub #Logistics #AirFreight #Shipping #CargoCapacity #DeMinimis #ChineseNewYear #TACIndex #Ecommerce #GlobalTrade 00:00 Welcome to Air Cargo Unpacked 01:00 UPS Retires MD-11 Fleet 02:30 10% of Widebody Freighter Capacity at Risk 04:30 Aircraft Backlog Hits 17,000 06:00 Conversion Costs Soaring: $80m for a 777 08:00 Chinese New Year: Kathy Liu from Shanghai 10:00 China Plus One: Southeast Asia Booming 12:00 Neel on CNY: Why This Year Is Different 15:30 TAC Index Rate Analysis with Neil Wilson 17:00 Shanghai Rates Up 9% Year on Year 18:00 Spot vs Contract Rates Explained 21:00 De Minimis: US Down 33%, Europe Up 22% 23:00 E-Commerce Is Like a Raging River 24:30 Maersk Sells 767 Freighters to Amazon 27:00 US-India Trade Deal: Stability Returns

In this exclusive interview, Laura DiBella, the newly confirmed Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission, outlines the agency's aggressive new approach to protecting U.S. shippers and enforcing maritime trade compliance on a global scale. DiBella explains how the FMC is shifting from a reactive referee of commercial disputes to a proactive "consumer protection agency" with the authority to investigate global chokepoints, shadow fleets, foreign policy barriers, and domestic rail bottlenecks affecting American cargo. Key topics covered: Trump's mandate to "resurrect U.S. dominance in the maritime arena" The FMC's expanded global enforcement powers under OSRA 2022 Investigating chokepoints like Suez Canal and Malacca Strait Shadow fleet and flags of convenience investigations How the FMC can penalize foreign governments that block U.S. cargo What shippers should document and when to engage the FMC Detention and demurrage protections and enforcement priorities Rail and chassis bottlenecks in Middle America Why the FMC wants to act before problems escalate Laura DiBella's background: Former Florida Secretary of Commerce under Governor Ron DeSantis, Executive Director of the Florida Harbor Pilots Association, and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2025 and designated FMC Chair by President Trump on January 28, 2026. This episode is produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/ If you're a freight buyer, shipper, logistics manager, or supply chain professional planning for 2026, this interview is essential listening. Subscribe to The Freight Buyers' Club for more exclusive interviews and supply chain insights.

What should US shippers expect in 2026? This TPM 26 special covers transpacific contracting, the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern rail merger, and features an EXCLUSIVE interview with new Federal Maritime Commission Chair Laura DiBella. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. PART 1: TPM 26 PREVIEW Mark Szakonyi (Executive Editor, Journal of Commerce) and Lori Fellmer (VP Logistics, BassTech International) break down: - Transpacific contracting season outlook - Demand signals and capacity challenges - How SME shippers are treated in a bearish market - Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger implications for IPI cargo - OSRA 2022 effectiveness: detention & demurrage protections   PART 2: EXCLUSIVE FMC CHAIR INTERVIEW Laura DiBella outlines her vision for the Federal Maritime Commission under Trump's maritime mandate: - From reactive to proactive enforcement - Global investigations: Spain, chokepoints (Suez, Malacca Strait), shadow fleets - "We're now a consumer protection agency" - what this means for shippers - New enforcement powers: penalties, sanctions, port denial for foreign governments - Domestic bottlenecks: containers, rail, chassis in Middle America - When shippers should contact the FMC KEY QUOTES: "Action. Always action." - Laura DiBella on what shippers should expect "We've become more of a consumer protection agency." - On the FMC's evolving mission ABOUT THE GUESTS: - Laura DiBella - Chair, Federal Maritime Commission - Mark Szakonyi - Executive Editor, Journal of Commerce - Lori Fellmer - VP Logistics & Carrier Management, BassTech International This episode was produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group - https://dimerco.com/. Subscribe to the Freight Buyers' Club for weekly insights on freight buying, carrier negotiations, and supply chain strategy.

Global trade isn't ending. It's fracturing along geopolitical lines. And it's reshaping supply chains, technology systems, and the entire logistics landscape as we enter 2026. The signals are unmistakable. Greenland threats. US-Europe tensions mounting. Trade wars escalating. This is no longer theoretical. Supply chain directors need to understand what's coming and how to prepare. In this critical roundtable, Mike King brings together three leading voices to break down how US-China competition, tariff volatility, shifting trade blocs, and technology will reshape supply chains right now and through the year ahead. Neil Shearing is Chief Economist at Capital Economics and author of The Fractured Age. He explains why we're not seeing deglobalization but rather a splintering of the global economy into competing US and China-led blocs. And why this matters far more than simple tariff rates. Marc Levinson is an economic historian and author of Outside the Box. He challenges the bloc theory with real world examples of trade policy chaos. He reveals why mega-ships may become obsolete, what's really driving trade now (spoiler: AI infrastructure), and why the logistics industry's capital investments could become stranded. Ashley Skaanild is Principal Advisor Carrier Integration and Transformation at WiseTech Global. He brings operational reality to the macro debate. Drawing on platform data from millions of shipments and a Reuters survey of 450+ supply chain leaders, he shows how companies are actually preparing and where technology sprawl is creating blind spots. Together, they tackle the questions keeping supply chain directors awake: How do you plan supply chains when policy changes overnight? Can you build resilience without bankrupting operations? What role will technology play in the fractured landscape ahead? Essential listening for freight buyers, logistics managers, and anyone navigating supply chains, geopolitics, and digital transformation in 2026. Show note links: LEANER, SMARTER, FASTER AND MORE CONNECTED: SUPPLY CHAINS EVOLVE TO MEET RISING VOLATILITY AND COST PRESSURES A Reuters Events, Supply Chain white paper in partnership with CargoWise Download here: https://www.cargowise.com/de-de/news/the-new-supply-chain-playbook-how-leaders-are-responding-to-cost-pressure-and-volatility/ The Fractured Age: How the Return of Geopolitics Will Splinter the Global Economy, by Neil Shearing https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fractured-Age-Geopolitics-Splinter-Economy/dp/1399825720 Outside the Box: How Globalization Changed from Moving Stuff to Spreading Ideas, by Marc Levinson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-Box-Globalization-Changed-Spreading/dp/069119176X #GeopoliticsTrade #Freight #Technology #LogTech #GlobalTrade #Logistics #Tariffs #2026Outlook #Wisetech #FreightBuyersClub #CapitalEconomics   00:00 – Trade Is Now a Weapon: Why Global Trade Is Fracturing Trade policy as coercion, resilience costs, AI driving trade growth 01:00 – Welcome to 2026: Geopolitics, Trade Chaos, and Tech Strain Greenland tariffs, fractured alliances, and why supply chains are under pressure 02:05 – Biggest Surprise of 2025: Tariffs, Allies Hit, and Tech U-Turns Neil Shearing on Trump tariffs, China, and relaxed chip controls 04:10 – Why Policy Chaos Matters More Than Tariff Levels Marc Levinson on volatility vs predictable trade costs 05:10 – AI Drove Half of Global Trade Growth Last Year Why servers, chips, and AI infrastructure now shape trade flows 06:15 – Operational Reality: Red Sea, Alliances, and Schedule Reliability Ashley Skaanild on shipping chaos and how trade adapts 08:00 – Are We De-Globalising or Splintering Into Trade Blocs? Neil...

Co-hosted by award-winning journalist Mike King and air cargo veteran Neel Jones Shah (ex-Delta, United, Flexport) with exclusive TAC Index market intelligence and IATA's 2026 forecast from Brendan Sullivan, Global Head of Cargo. Welcome to the launch episode of Air Cargo Unpacked - your monthly deep dive into air freight markets, capacity dynamics, and what actually matters for people who buy air cargo services. This episode features exclusive data from the Baltic Exchange Air Freight Index, powered by TAC Index. In this episode: Geopolitical chaos and air cargo resilience - Why 2026 kicked off with unprecedented uncertainty, from Greenland tensions to trade wars, yet China posted a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus Chinese New Year 2026 impact - How CNY falling 2.5 weeks later than 2025 is impacting markets and what forwarders and carriers should expect in the lead-up and restart IATA's 2026 outlook - Brendan Sullivan identifies the three biggest headwinds (capacity constraints, regulatory complexity, economic uncertainty) and three opportunities (digitalization, e-commerce growth, agility as competitive advantage) E-commerce shifts post-de minimis - The reality behind Shein and Temu's strategy after US ended the $800 exemption, and where e-commerce flows are redirecting (hint: South America, Europe, Africa) MD-11 freighter crisis – with some 60 aircraft grounded, integrators are scrambling for replacement 767 and 747 capacity Exclusive TAC Index market data - Neil Wilson breaks down peak season performance, capacity constraints, Taiwan semiconductor boom, and why intra-Asia rates are up 23% year-on-year Capacity crunch reality - Why the aircraft delivery backlog means tight capacity, higher yields, and limited flexibility for shippers throughout 2026 Key themes: Air cargo thrives on chaos, but not all chaos is equal. This episode unpacks which disruptions benefit air freight and which threaten growth - plus what the data actually shows about where the market is heading. Links: TAC Index: https://www.tacindex.com Ontegos Cloud: https://www.ontegos.cloud/ Brought to you by Ontegos Cloud - the freight forwarder profitability specialist helping forwarders turn operational effort into economic control. Learn more at ontegoscloud.com Subscribe and follow for monthly market intelligence, exclusive data, and insights from the people shaping global air cargo.   Timestamps       00:00 Introduction & Welcome to Air Cargo Unpacked 00:30 Geopolitical Chaos: Greenland, Venezuela, Iran & the Red Sea 02:00 China's Record $1.2 Trillion Trade Surplus Explained 04:00 E-commerce as a River: Finding Routes Despite Trade Wars 06:00 Does Air Cargo Thrive on Chaos? 08:00 End of De Minimis: Impact on Shein, Temu & E-commerce Volumes 11:00 2026 Vertical Focus: AI, Semiconductors & Taiwan Trade Deal 14:00 TAC Index Exclusive: Peak Season Analysis & Rate Trends 18:00 Taiwan Strength, MD-11 Groundings & Capacity Constraints 21:00 Chinese New Year Outlook: What to Expect in February 25:00 Aircraft Maintenance & The Aging Freighter Fleet 28:00 IATA's Brendan Sullivan: Top Headwinds & Opportunities for 2026

Container shipping enters 2026 facing a perfect storm: deepening geopolitical fractures, a historic vessel orderbook driving severe overcapacity, and the growing likelihood that services will soon return fully to the Suez Canal. Could this trigger a new wave of consolidation among smaller container lines? For freight buyers, this creates both uncertainty and potential negotiating leverage. In this episode, Mike King speaks with two voices from opposite ends of the shipping spectrum: James Hookham - Director of the Global Shippers Forum, representing cargo owners worldwide and demanding carriers deliver "solutions, not surcharges" Robbert van Trooijen - Founder of Inception Partners, former Maersk Regional President across Asia Pacific and Latin America for 15 years This episode is produced in partnership with Dimerco Express Group, a global 3PL specialising in Asia-Pacific supply chains. If your sourcing or manufacturing runs through Asia, they’re worth a look: https://www.dimerco.com   KEY INSIGHTS: ✅ Why geopolitics is now the #1 line item on shipper risk lists ✅ How US-China bloc competition forces countries like Indonesia and Panama to choose sides ✅ Suez partial reopening creating port chaos in China and Northern Europe ✅ Historic vessel orderbook (one-third of existing fleet) driving severe overcapacity ✅ "Gap between top 4 carriers and rest widening to uncomfortable size" - consolidation wave predicted ✅ Why Gemini's 90% reliability is great, but will it last and why aren’t other carriers doing better? ✅ How surcharges become carriers' profit protection tool when rates fall ✅ Contract strategy: 60/40 or 70/30 splits recommended, consider index-based deals ✅ Why APM Terminals earns 17% returns while carriers struggle with single digits ✅ Trade deal outcomes (USMCA, US-China, US-EU) will reshape 2026 freight flows TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Cold Open: Quote teases from James & Robbert 01:00 - Intro & Sponsor: Dimerco Express Group 02:00 - Guest Introductions: James Hookham & Robbert van Trooijen ACT 1: GEOPOLITICS & SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY 03:00 - Is geopolitics the #1 line item on shipper risk lists for 2026? 03:45 - Robbert on "Choke Points" book and economic warfare 04:15 - "The Fractured Age" - Two-bloc world led by US-China 05:00 - Panama's forced choice: Rhetoric vs reality 06:00 - James: Supply chains as targets in great power competition 07:15 - "If you like your job unpredictable... being a freight buyer is the place to be in 2026" 08:00 - WTF acronym: "We got to day three, didn't we Mike?" 09:00 - Overcapacity "might just come to a head in 26" 10:00 - Post-de minimis world: What it means for e-commerce shippers ACT 2: CONTAINER SHIPPING FUNDAMENTALS 12:45 - Pre-Chinese New Year rate bump: Seasonal or structural? 13:00 - "One third of existing fleet on order" - Historic overcapacity explained 14:00 - Choke points shifting from ocean to landside capacity 15:00 - Port congestion: China, Northern Europe, US infrastructure gaps 16:00 - Chinese port cranes controversy impacting US investments 16:45 - Has reliability actually improved? James' assessment 17:30 - Gemini alliance: Customer service "at the forefront of their thinking" 18:00 - Working capital tied up in invento...

Freight rates, container capacity, and tender strategies are about to get complicated in 2026 — and Bjorn Vang Jensen is here to cut through the noise. Bjorn Vang Jensen (EVP Global Head of Ocean at EasySpeed International Logistics) has worn every hat in the freight industry: buyer, forwarder, consultant, and shipping executive. With 38 years of experience including major freight buying roles at electronics and automotive giants, he brings a unique perspective on what's really shaping container markets in 2026. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: - Venezuela intervention and Greenland threats: What actually impacts freight markets vs. what's just noise- The 3 big factors shaping freight in 2026: Tariffs, geopolitics, and the Suez Canal return- Why carriers will drip-feed the Suez reopening (not flood it) — and what that means for Asia-Europe rates- The 70/30 contract strategy: Why Bjorn's 13-year data analysis shows contract rates beat spot- Container shipping reliability: Can carriers charge more for it? Should you pay for it?- China+1 becomes 3+China: The real sourcing trends happening in 2026- Why geopolitical risk is now "line item #1" in every freight budget (not just a checkbox) KEY QUOTES: "For every week you have port problems, it takes a month to dig yourself out." "70% contract, 30% spot — that's my recommendation for 2026." "Geopolitical upheaval used to be a checkbox risk. Now it's the #1 bullet point." ABOUT BJORN VANG JENSEN:EVP Global Head of Ocean at EasySpeed International Logistics, with previous senior roles as a major freight buyer at global electronics and automotive companies. 38 years in container shipping. This episode is produced with the support of OntegosCloud — the freight forwarder profitability specialist. RELATED EPISODE:We Need to Talk About…Reliability: Container Shipping's Problem Childhttps://youtu.be/0B_EsmxkY9Y Hosted by Mike King, award-winning business journalist specializing in global trade, shipping, and logistics. https://youtu.be/0B_EsmxkY9Y TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro & Guest Introduction1:00 - Tender Season & What Bjorn's Up To2:43 - Venezuela & Greenland: Geopolitical Noise vs. Reality6:57 - The 3 Big Factors Shaping 202610:22 - Suez Canal Return Strategy: Chaos or Managed Roll-Out?14:50 - Carrier Strategy: Capacity, Blanking & Rate Management18:10 - Container Shipping Reliability: Can You Charge for It?21:52 - Trans-Pacific Buying Strategy: The 70/30 Rule23:50 - Asia-Europe Contract Data: Only 2 Windows Where Spot Won26:00 - Why Relationships Matter in Contract Negotiations27:00 - Sourcing Trends: China+1 Becomes "3+China"29:40 - Geopolitical Risk: From Checkbox to Line Item #131:00 - Wrap & Final Advice

Global container shipping reliability has improved in 2025, but the gains are fragile. In this episode, we examine what’s really driving the numbers, why performance is already slipping, and what shippers should expect as they plan for 2026. In this episode, produced with the support of OntegosCloud (https://www.ontegos.cloud/), we break down the latest reliability data from Sea-Intelligence and Xeneta, analyse the widening performance gap between carriers and alliances, and look at how capacity growth, orderbooks, freight rates and potential Suez Canal routing changes could affect service consistency in the months ahead. Industry experts Nils Roche (Solvens Advisory; ex-CMA CGM, Maersk, PIL) and Kathy Liu (VP Global Sales & Marketing, Dimerco Express Group) share their insights on shipper concerns, possible congestion scenarios, and the risks of renewed market volatility. In this episode: Current global schedule reliability trends How much of the improvement is driven by demand versus capacity Carrier-by-carrier and alliance reliability performance The impact of the Gemini Cooperation (Maersk + Hapag-Lloyd) Orderbook growth and what it means for supply/demand Red Sea/Suez Canal routing and congestion risks How falling rates could trigger blank sailings and reliability deterioration What shippers should prepare for in 2026 This is essential viewing for importers, exporters, freight forwarders and supply chain professionals who rely on stable ocean schedules and need clarity on the risks ahead. #ContainerShipping #OceanFreight #ScheduleReliability #SupplyChain #Logistics #FreightMarket #ShippingIndustry #Maersk #HapagLloyd #SuezCanal

Paul Berger of The Wall Street Journal’s Logistics Report joins the Freight Buyers’ Club to break down the biggest supply chain stories to watch in 2026 — from tariff battles and port policy shifts to the deepening US trucking recession, the crane crackdown, EV trucking setbacks, Canada–US trade flows, and what reopening the Suez Canal could mean for global shipping. We cover the forces reshaping global trade, why supply chains remain so volatile, and how policy moves out of Washington and Beijing could impact shippers, forwarders, carriers and cargo owners through 2026. This episode was produced with the support of OntegosCloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists. #SupplyChain #Logistics #GlobalTrade #FreightMarket #WSJ

A deep dive into the 2026 freight outlook, the return of Suez routes, China+1 manufacturing shifts, capacity risks and what shippers must prepare for next year. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/]. It’s the Freight Buyers’ Club Holiday Special — a festive wrap-up of a year that delivered more plot twists than a Christmas soap marathon. From tariff shocks to China+1 shifts, Red Sea detours, booming Vietnam factories and air cargo refusing to behave “normally”… 2025 kept shippers on their toes and clutching their eggnog. To make sense of it all, Mike King is joined by a top-tier panel of industry heavyweights: Kathy Liu, VP Global Sales & Marketing, Dimerco Express Group Nils Roche, Founder, Solvens Advisory (ex PIL-Maersk, CMA CGM) Peter Sand, Chief Analyst, Xeneta Together they break down the winners, losers and big surprises of 2025 — and offer a straight-talking look at what freight buyers must prepare for in 2026. Expect sharp insights, a bit of humour, and just enough holiday spirit to take the edge off another volatile year in global logistics. In this special we cover: Tariffs, Trump and the year’s biggest policy whiplash China+1 shifts: what moved, what didn’t and why Vietnam won big Air cargo’s strange but spectacular 2025 Suez, Red Sea and the looming capacity reset Carrier behaviour: orderly alliances, chaotic markets Contracting for 2026: reliability, risk and when to go short vs long Why “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” might be the perfect theme for freight next year If you're planning your 2026 strategy, pour yourself a holiday drink and plug in — this is your end-of-year sanity check. Special thanks to Dimerco Express Group for supporting this holiday edition of The Freight Buyers’ Club. Download Dimerco’s China+1 Logistics Playbook  Master International Growth A Legal and Logistical Playbook for Global Expansion Success, with Expert Legal Insight From Addleshaw Goddard https://dimerco.com/ebooks/global-business-expansion-playbook/ #FreightBuyersClub #2026FreightOutlook #SupplyChain #Logistics #ContainerShipping #SuezCanal #ChinaPlusOne #China1 #Tariffs #AirCargo #VietnamManufacturing #GlobalTrade #FreightRates #Dimerco #ShippingIndustry #SupplyChainStrategy #MaritimeLogistics

Air cargo wasn’t supposed to look this strong. Tariffs, the end of de minimis, political whiplash, war, and supply chain reshuffles all pointed to a difficult year. But the opposite happened. In this Freight Buyers Club air cargo special — produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group — Mike King breaks down why the market held up, how shippers and carriers adapted, and what the data really says about the year ahead. We hear from industry leaders on: • Why air cargo defied expectations • The impact of US tariffs and the end of de minimis • China vs Southeast Asia sourcing shifts • E-commerce, AI hardware demand and capacity rerouting • Anchorage and Miami’s record volumes • The 2026 market outlook: risks, growth drivers and unknowns Featuring: Glyn Hughes, Director- General, TIACA Andrea Nicole Wilson, VP, Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association Sean Dolan, CEO, Northlink Aviation Dimitrios “Jimmy” Nares, Section Chief, Cargo Development, Miami International Airport Brandon Fried, Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association Jaime Alvarez, Director of Cargo, Copa Airlines If you want straight-talking analysis on air cargo and global trade, this one’s for you. Subscribe to Freight Buyers Club for more interviews and explainers. Reach out to Dimerco Express Group here: https://dimerco.com/ #AirCargo #AirFreight #SupplyChain #Logistics #GlobalTrade #FreightForwarding #EcommerceLogistics #TradePolicy #AviationCargo #CargoAirlines #SupplyChainNews

Hamburg is gearing up for a turbulent few years in global container shipping. In this episode, Mike King speaks with Mathias Schulz, Director of Communications at Port of Hamburg Marketing, about the port’s major 2025–26 investment programme — including the enlarged turning basin, terminal expansion, and Hamburg’s push to speed up mega-ship operations. Schultz explains how Hamburg is managing congestion, the impact of strikes across the Northern Range, and why a potential reopening of the Suez Canal to container traffic could trigger fresh chaos. We also dig into shifting trade flows: Asia booming, the transatlantic lane slumping, and the Baltic region surprising on the upside. With rail bottlenecks, digitalisation plans, and the uncertainty facing European consumers, Hamburg is preparing for a complex 2026. Schultz lays out what shippers, forwarders, and carriers should expect next. This episode is sponsored by Ontegos Cloud. #HamburgPort #ContainerShipping #OceanFreight #SupplyChain #PortCongestion #MegaShips #SuezCanal #ShippingNews

TIACA Director General Glyn Hughes joins Mike King in Miami on the sidelines of transport logistic Americas for an after-hours beer and a straight-talking look at the state of global air cargo. Fresh from TIACA’s first Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi, Hughes breaks down why the sector keeps outperforming despite tariffs, geopolitics and chaotic trade policy. He explains how shifting e-commerce flows, China+1 production, and a new “US+1” consumption trend are reshaping supply chains. We get into freighter tightness, belly shortages, spot-rate behaviour, and why yields look set to hold steady into 2026. Hughes also gives the inside track on TIACA’s new partnership with a startup incubator, the rise of Middle Eastern hubs, and how regulatory and geopolitical messiness is now baked into global trade. Plus: why flexibility is air cargo’s secret weapon, which airports to watch, and the one policy change that could transform the industry overnight. Another straight-talking episode of the Freight Buyers’ Club — sponsored by Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/]. #AirCargo #AirFreight #Logistics #SupplyChain #Freight #TIACA #GlynHughes #EcommerceLogistics #GlobalTrade #FreightBuyersClub #DimercoExpressGroup

Freight buyers are entering 2026 with a rare advantage — a genuine buyer’s market. In this clip from Container Shipping 2026: Strategies Every Freight Buyer Needs Now, host Mike King speaks with Mark Chadwick (President, Global Shippers’ Association) and Chantal McRoberts (Director, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors) about how shippers can negotiate smarter, reduce risk, and secure stronger Transpacific contracts for the year ahead. ⚓ Produced with the kind support of Dimerco Express Group Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/ERHtDwtarOg #ContainerShipping #FreightBuyersClub #FreightContracts #FreightRates #ShippingMarket #FreightStrategy #DimercoExpressGroup #SupplyChain #Logistics #TranspacificTrade

South Africa’s logistics system is fighting for its life — corruption, collapse, and political paralysis have left ports and railways in chaos. But could a real turnaround finally be underway? Host Mike King has just returned from a fact-finding tour of South Africa to uncover the good, the bad, and the ANC. In this hard-hitting explainer, Mike dives deep into: How Transnet fell apart under state capture and political cronyism The catastrophic impact on ports, rail, and exporters The reforms under new Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips ⚙️ The $7 billion recovery plan — and early signs of genuine progress How government and industry are finally pulling in the same direction Why South Africa is now looking East, not West, for trade growth Featuring insights from South Africa’s leading logistics experts — Peter Besnard, CEO of SAASOA, representing the nation’s ship operators and agents; Jacob van Rensburg, Head of Research and Development at the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF); and Shabnum Dawood, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding South Africa — this episode is essential listening for anyone moving freight in or out of Africa. ️ Presented by Mike King In partnership with freight forwarding profitability specialists OntegosCloud Subscribe for straight-talking freight intelligence — without the spin. Credit: Jacob Zuma by Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp. #SouthAfrica #Logistics #Transnet #FreightBuyersClub #Shipping #Ports #SupplyChain #AfricaTrade #OntegosCloud #MikeKing #FreightForwarding #Corruption #Ramaphosa

Freight buyers face another wild year ahead. Mike King speaks with Mark Chadwick and Chantal McRoberts about the 2026 container shipping market — contracts, rates, and risk management for those who want to stay one move ahead. Produced with the kind support of Dimerco Express Group. Freight buyers are heading into 2026 facing a container shipping market full of volatility — from emissions uncertainty and patchwork regulation to rate swings and fragile carrier contracts. In this episode, Mike King gets straight answers from two of the industry’s most experienced voices: Mark Chadwick, President of the Global Shippers’ Association, representing some of the world’s biggest cargo owners — from energy and healthcare giants to major manufacturers. Chantal McRoberts, Director at Drewry Supply Chain Advisors, who helps global shippers interpret market data and build smarter strategies after years working inside major carriers. Together, they unpack what’s next for global shipping, how to manage freight risk, and what smart buyers are doing now to secure value, service, and stability for the year ahead. In this episode: How emissions policy deadlock could shape shipping costs and contracts in 2026 What’s really driving rate swings on Transpacific and Asia–Europe trades When to lock in long-term contracts — and when to stay flexible The new balance of power between shippers and carriers Smart strategies to manage freight risk, surcharges, and service reliability What the data says about supply, demand, and rate trends for 2026 If you want to understand the container shipping market outlook for 2026 — and how to plan, contract and negotiate smarter — this episode is for you. Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/] More episodes, transcripts, and resources: https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com CHAPTERS  00:00 Meet the Guests — Mark Chadwick & Chantal McRoberts  02:49 IMO MEPC: The Emissions Deadlock  08:25 Transpacific Market Mayhem  19:54 Contracting Season — Freight Buyer Strategy  27:44 Surcharges — The Love–Hate Relationship  34:05 Global Container Market Analysis  43:27 Outlook 2026 — Overcapacity, Alliances & Risk  48.55 Quick-Fire Forecasts  #ContainerShipping #FreightBuyersClub #ShippingMarket #FreightRates #SupplyChain #Logistics #DimercoExpressGroup #FreightContracts #GlobalTrade #Shippers #MaritimeIndustry #ShippingOutlook2026

Global trade is booming again in 2025 — the fastest growth since 2010. In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club, supported by Ontegos Cloud, Mike King talks with DHL Express CEO John Pearson about the new DHL Global Connectedness Tracker and what it reveals about today’s trade surge. From China’s export expansion and Africa’s growing trade power, to tariffs, de-minimis changes, and shifting supply chains, Pearson explains how global commerce is evolving and why globalisation is far from dead. Essential listening for anyone in freight forwarding, logistics, or international trade. Full Description DHL’s latest Global Connectedness Tracker shows global trade growth at its fastest pace since 2010. In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club, supported by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist, host Mike King speaks with John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, about what’s driving the remarkable rebound in global trade and supply chains in 2025. They discuss China’s export boom, Africa’s rising influence in international logistics, and why globalisation is far from dead despite tariffs, shifting trade routes, and new supply chain pressures. Pearson explains how DHL is adapting to changing trade lanes, what record trade-lane deviations really mean, and why the world’s buyers and sellers are proving more creative and resilient than ever. Expect clear insights on: The fastest global trade growth in over a decade The new trade corridors shaping global logistics China’s 26% export surge into Sub-Saharan Africa The US retreat from trade vs. global expansion elsewhere How DHL is positioning for long-term supply chain growth The Freight Buyers’ Club — where the people who move the world’s goods talk straight about what’s really happening in global logistics and international trade.

In this Freight Buyers’ Club interview, produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud, host Mike King speaks to Rainer Haag, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Europe, at the grand opening of DHL’s new European Innovation Center in Troisdorf, Germany. They discuss how DHL is turning innovation into action — applying AI, automation, and digitalisation to make supply chains more resilient, sustainable, and efficient — while navigating the trade and tariff shifts reshaping global freight. Rainer shares insights on: How DHL decides which technologies to pilot and scale The impact of robotics and automation on people and performance Why “digital by default” is central to DHL’s operations How European trade flows are adapting to disruption and nearshoring The next wave of technology transforming logistics ️ Hosted by Mike King, The Freight Buyers’ Club Supported by Ontegos Cloud — the freight forwarder profitability specialist Recorded at the DHL Innovation Center, Troisdorf, Germany #FreightBuyersClub #DHL #SupplyChain #Logistics #Trade #Freight #Automation #AIinLogistics #Warehousing #Innovation #LogisticsNews #OntegosCloud