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The Loadstar's podcasts help shippers and their logistics partners make sense of the container and air cargo supply chains.
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www.theloadstar.com
175 Episodes
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Escalating tensions in the Middle East are once again creating uncertainty for global supply chains. In this episode, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Marco Forgione, director general of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, to discuss the latest developments in the conflict and what they could mean for global trade flows, oil prices and supply chain resilience. They also look at tariff developments and whether shippers are changing their strategies in response.
Charlotte is then joined by Alex Lennane, publisher of The Loadstar, to run through the latest airfreight developments, including airspace disruptions across the Middle East, tightening capacity and rising fuel costs. Plus, a two-day cockpit crew strike across the Lufthansa Group and the latest twist in the ongoing Panama ports dispute involving Cosco, Maersk and MSC.
Finally, Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, shares the latest data on ocean freight spot rates and explains how geopolitical tensions and capacity shifts are shaping the market. He also offers advice for shippers and forwarders navigating an increasingly volatile freight environment.
Hear all the important points of last week's supply chain news in just over 20 minutes!
Global supply chains are once again navigating turbulent waters. In this episode, we break down the immediate logistics fallout from the escalating conflict in the Middle East – from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and vessels turning back mid-voyage, to collapsing air cargo capacity as Gulf airspace shuts down. What could this mean for freight rates, fuel markets, and global capacity?
Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Alex Lennane to unpack the biggest stories of the week, including the early impacts on ocean and air freight, the legal debate around force majeure, and the latest developments on US tariff refunds. Later, Gavin van Marle checks in from TPM in Long Beach with the key themes dominating conversations at the industry’s biggest gathering.All this plus much more, in just 20 minutes!
Last week’s news of the US Supreme Court ruling striking down Trump’s IEEPA tariffs has sent shockwaves through global supply chains but now comes the hard part: getting your money back.
In this episode, we unpack the fallout of the tariff revocation. With potentially $100bn–$300bn in duties up for refund, the process is already shaping up to be complex, litigation-heavy and politically fraught. We discuss the emerging secondary market for tariff refund claims, why some SMEs are selling their rights for cents on the dollar and what FedEx’s landmark legal move could mean for other corporates seeking repayment.
Ocean spot rates remain muted amid the Chinese New Year lull, but could a restocking surge send transpac rates soaring? With carriers eyeing March GRIs of up to $3,000 and early signals pointing to higher 2026 contract rates, we examine what tariff reversal could mean for capacity, pricing and negotiations at TPM.
Plus, a look into the current dynamics shaping the air freight market, weather disruptions at major US hubs, Wistech earnings, and much much more, all in just 20 minutes!
The Loadstar team unpacks a busy week in supply chain and logistics, in less than 20 minutes!
This episode, Alex Lennane discusses her exclusive on DSV’s reported switch away from CargoWise that sparked industry-wide debate last week. She and Charlotte Goldstone raise fresh questions about TMS loyalty and divulge the hot topics at Manifest. Is this the beginning of a systems shake-up across forwarding?
Meanwhile, Gavin van Marle speaks on Hapag-Lloyd's reported $4.2bn bid for Zim and details how it could reshape alliance dynamics and redraw the competitive map in container shipping.
Add in a long-awaited decision on tariff legality from the US Supreme Court, soaring blank sailings from CNY capacity cuts, warnings of a looming transpacific rate war, shifts in air cargo capacity, and much much more. If you need a refresher of the news ahead of a new week, plus a reminder of what could be still to come, this is the podcast for you.
Global container shipping had a rollercoaster year in 2025, and the numbers tell a fascinating story.
In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by CEO of Container Trades Satistics (CTS) Nigel Pusey and The Loadstar’s managing editor Gavin van Marle to break down the biggest shifts in volumes, pricing and trade lanes over the past year.
From surging intra-Asia and Far East–Europe growth to a sharp decline on the transpacific, the trio unpack how tariffs, geopolitics and the China+1 strategy reshaped global flows. They dive into why freight rates fell nearly 20% year-on-year despite strong demand, where peak season really showed up, and how secondary trades quietly stole the spotlight.
Plus, there’s a scorecard moment as past predictions are put to the test, and some bold new forecasts are made for 2026 that may or may not age well. Data-driven, opinionated and refreshingly honest, this is essential listening for anyone trying to make sense of today’s container markets.
Earnings season is in full swing, and the numbers are telling a story. This week on News in Brief, The Loadstar team break down Maersk’s Q4 and DSV’s Schenker-fuelled growth, plus the job cuts across both companies.
Alex Lennane also details a tech comment in DSV’s earnings call that’s quietly rattled the freight forwarding world.
The episode also tracks falling ocean rates, firmer air freight prices, rising European road contracts, and fresh questions over when ships will really return to Suez.
Add in Panama port drama, looming parcel fees, Chinese New Year pressures and a hint of Manifest gossip, and you’ve got a lot to catch up on.
Global trade runs on one essential ingredient: access to capital. Yet for millions of businesses, particularly SMEs in emerging markets, trade finance remains complex and out of reach.
In this episode of the Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Sinan Ozcan, senior executive officer and board director at DP World Trade Finance, to unpack how trade finance really works, and why it matters more than ever.Since launching in 2021, DP World Trade Finance has mobilised over $1.6 billion in working capital and partnered with more than 30 financial institutions, reshaping how trade is funded by embedding finance directly into DP World’s global ports and logistics ecosystem.
Mr Ozcan draws on more than 25 years of experience across banking, export credit, logistics, and trade finance to explain:
What the global trade finance gap actually is and why it’s been growing
How real-time logistics data and cargo visibility can reduce risk and unlock funding
Why SMEs struggle most to access capital, and how embedded finance helps
How DP World mitigates fraud, collateral, and credit risk
The role of free zones and supply chain infrastructure in enabling trade
If you’ve ever been confused by trade finance or wondered how data, logistics, and capital can come together to unlock global trade, listen now!
This week’s News in Brief tracks a fragile balance across global shipping. Fresh investment into CMA CGM’s terminal portfolio highlights carriers’ long-term bets, just as renewed Houthi threats underline how uncertain a return to the Suez Canal remains and why Cape of Good Hope routings are still propping up today’s capacity balance.
Weather disruption across Europe and the US adds another layer of pressure, while earnings updates from UPS and others reveal the ongoing fallout from restructuring, fleet changes and weakening demand.
Gavin van Marle unpacks the latest spot rate movements as the pre–Chinese New Year rush fades and carriers begin discounting to fill ships.
Alex Lennane brings updates from air freight and overland transport, including storm impacts, aircraft retirements and fresh questions around rail consolidation in North America. Plus, a look at one of the few bright spots of the week: a new EU–India trade agreement that could signal a rare shift towards freer trade.
From Red Sea risk to rate wars, this episode lays out what matters now and what to watch next.
In this week’s episode, The Loadstar team explores mounting pressure across shipping, logistics tech and inland transport.
As talk of a return to the Suez Canal continues to swing back and forth, carriers, ports and insurers are all weighing up the risks and potential fallout once mass transits resume. Gavin van Marle unpacks what a Suez comeback could mean for North European and Mediterranean ports.
Alex Lennane joins to take a deeper look at forwarders rethinking their reliance on CargoWise after its controversial pricing overhaul. Are there real alternatives - or is WiseTech’s grip on the market as tight as it seems?
They also examine fresh hurdles facing Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s proposed rail merger, after regulators rejected their initial submission, and what that means for overland freight in the US.
Plus, updates on FedEx’s LTL spin-off, early signs of a “reckoning” for ocean carriers amid excess capacity, first glimpses of alliance networks for 2026, and the latest movements in ocean and air freight rates.
From software shockwaves to shifting trade routes, this episode connects the dots across a fast-changing logistics landscape.
This week on the Loadstar News in Brief, Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Alex Lennane and Gavin van Marle to break down a packed week in global supply chain news.
From cooling container spot rates and firmer air cargo pricing to the latest twists in the US tariff saga, we examine what’s really driving the market right now. The team also discusses growing signals of a return to the Suez Canal, airline M&A activity, and why geopolitical uncertainty continues to loom large over freight decisions.
Plus, the team give insights from the BIFA Freight Service Awards and a look at what’s coming up in the week ahead!
2026 gets off to a chilly start for global supply chains. Europe’s major ports are hit by snow and ice, disrupting terminal operations and road and rail links. Meanwhile, carriers are pressing ahead with fresh terminal investments, and Cosco is quietly expanding its hinterland ambitions.
Gavin van Marle breaks down what’s happening on the ocean side as carriers front-load capacity ahead of Chinese New Year and rates settle after the festive period. Alex Lennane joins with a full airfreight reset, as seasonality returns, capacity shifts sharply and shippers weigh whether softening ocean rates could trigger a modal shift away from air.
We also revisit the CargoWise pricing shake-up as the first invoices land and confusion grows, plus an update on the controversial US mega rail merger and what it could mean for inland transport.From winter disruption to strategic repositioning, this episode sets the tone for the year ahead in freight.
Join The Loadstar team as they round up the hot topics of 2025 and look forward to what might be coming up in 2026.
They detail what one word and song they would use to summarise this year’s antics, plus their winners and losers of all that has transpired in the last 12 months.
This podcast recaps forwarding woes and wins, carrier ambitions, ship fires, AI, ecommerce, trade shifts and much much more. Plus, each of The Loadstar journalists give their bold prediction on what to look out for next year.
So, sit back and relax as we remind you of all the major events that shaped supply-chains in 2025.
Coming up in this episode: container volumes are rising but prices are still falling, so what’s really driving the disconnect between demand and rates? We look at fresh CTS data, the role of China in reshaping freight buying behaviour, and why overcapacity isn’t showing up where you might expect.
We’ll also unpack new ecommerce handling fees being introduced in parts of Europe and why the air cargo industry says they risk distorting established trade flows. Alex Lennane brings the latest on whether the so-called air cargo “mini-peak” still has legs and why AI shipments could become one of the highest-yield cargoes heading into 2026.
Plus, pressure is mounting on ZIM’s board as shareholders push for change, WiseTech faces growing backlash over its new CargoWise pricing model, and we look at what a potential US tariff “vacuum” could mean for transpacific trade.
Join The Loadstar's journalists as they analyse all that, plus rates, geopolitics and forwarder fallout.
After weeks of disruption, Southeast Asia’s ports are slowly reopening following historic floods - but delays and backlogs still plague regional supply chains. In more positive news, seafarers from the MV Eternity C have finally been released, and carriers are starting to eye a return to the Suez Canal, with the Ocean Alliance restarting transits and CMA CGM signalling confidence with naval escorts and new services.
Meanwhile in the US, importers like Costco are racing to file refund claims ahead of a potential Supreme Court ruling that could overturn tariffs, raising the prospect of a lengthy and chaotic reimbursement process. And in the tech world, WiseTech’s surprise CargoWise overhaul has triggered industry outcry, with logistics providers accusing the software giant of rolling out major changes without warning right at the height of peak season.
Charlotte Goldstone, Gavin van Marle and Alex Lennane bring you the week’s essential freight headlines in one short and snappy podcast.
This week’s episode dives into the growing contrasts across global freight. In ocean shipping, Maersk has pushed back against claims of an imminent Suez Canal return — despite pressure from the Suez Canal Authority — leaving carriers and insurers guessing when routes might reopen.
Meanwhile, strikes in Belgium, ship fires in US ports, and record-low scrapping levels add to Europe’s congestion woes, as MSC piles on more transatlantic tonnage and Hapag-Lloyd invests in new feeder vessels.
Gavin van Marle unpacks the latest on ocean rates and why carriers are still betting big on capacity despite falling demand, while Alex Lennane brings updates from the air, from the return of UPS and USPS’s final-mile partnership to fears that the UK’s de minimis delay could turn it into an ecommerce “dumping ground”.
Plus, with Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday driving a short-lived “mini peak”, we look at how global airfreight demand is holding up, how Asia is powering through flooding disruptions, and whether Western Global’s struggles could mark the end of the MD-11 era.
It’s a busy week across air, sea and logistics — and this episode connects all the dots.
In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast we take you inside one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving regions in global trade: Africa.
Host and news reporter Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Mohammed Akoojee CEO & MD of DP World Sub-Saharan Africa. Together, they unpack why Africa is emerging as one of the most important players in global logistics and what still needs to happen to unlock its full potential.
Mr Akoojee reveals why Africa’s role in global trade is accelerating, the critical role infrastructure plays and where DP World is investing billions to aid Africa's logistics boom and benefit local communities.
He also explains why intra-African trade lags behind cross-border trade in Europe and what is needed to drive this, plus gives listeners a glimpse into what the future of Africa's trade could look like once the Red Sea crisis and trade wars are resolved.
So, if you're curious about the rise of new consumer markets and how better logistics can transform a continent, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
In this episode of News in Brief, The Loadstar team delves into the latest developments in the world of tariffs and refund issues, rail mergers, ecommerce and ocean rate dynamics.
In under 20 minutes, our award-winning journalists provide insights into how these topics - and many more - could affect supply chains and consumer prices.
So, tune in now for a comprehensive overview of the week's most significant shifts, and to hear what to keep an eye on for the week ahead!
All the stories mentioned in this episode can be found on The Loadstar's website.
New CTS data shows just how deeply tariffs have hit US trade and Indian airfreight volumes, as Southeast Asia surges ahead under the China + 1 strategy.
The Loadstar team unpacks the numbers — and what they mean for rates, resilience, and rerouted cargo.
As the US Supreme Court takes on Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy, tension builds over whether refunds will ever materialize. Meanwhile, signs of peace in the Red Sea have carriers eyeing a return to Suez — but with overcapacity already looming, could that just make the freight picture murkier? And what will this mean for airfreight?
Plus, we look at booming trade through Southeast Asia, MSC’s fruit-fueled pivot to South Africa, and the EU’s new vote to end de minimis. All that and the best of Loadstar Premium — from California trucking chaos to “Wonder Jim” at Union Pacific — in this packed global round-up.
This week, the shipping industry hits new highs and new headaches.
MSC’s record 7m teu fleet cements its dominance, while Maersk eyes fresh megaship orders amid warnings of a looming capacity glut that could stretch to 2030. Gavin van Marle breaks down the latest rate moves, the growing talk of rate wars, and what Q3 results reveal about carriers’ financial standing
While in air cargo, Alex Lennane reports from TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi with exclusive insights from Etihad Cargo.
She also digs into Europe’s latest ecommerce crackdown with France grounding Shein imports and Cainiao pausing expansion in Liège, plus how a prolonged US government shutdown could soon clip flight capacity.
From ocean overcapacity to airfreight uncertainty, this week’s episode keeps you up to date with the latest news across global logistics.
It’s been a week of turmoil — and tentative relief — across global trade. Hurricane Melissa brought chaos to the Caribbean but spared Jamaica’s vital Kingston terminal, while in Asia, the fallout from Dhaka’s cargo village fire continues to snarl Bangladesh’s garment exports. Meanwhile, hopes for Red Sea stability were dashed as Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza.
Host and news reporter Charlotte Goldstone brings you the most important points of these stories to get you up to date with the news ahead of a new week.
And there’s a flicker of good news: Washington and Beijing have agreed to suspend their port call fees for a year, softening trade tensions and cutting “fentanyl tariffs” by 10%. Gavin van Marle joins to unpack the toll tariffs have already taken on US port volumes and whether rate rises can last after weeks of GRI-driven recovery.
Alex Lennane steps in to discuss the latest in air cargo, from Chicago Rockford’s new partnership with Liège to the early signs of the Christmas peak and a new US plan to ban belly cargo from Mexico City. She then chats to Ms Goldstone about UPS’s mixed earnings,
All that, plus a look ahead to a pivotal week as the US Supreme Court tackles tariffs and The Loadstar team hits the road for the Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi.
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