This podcast is a new home for anyone with a professional interest in international trade, shipping, procurement, logistics and air cargo. Each episode your host, award-winning journalist Mike King, will be speaking to leading decision-makers, analysts, journalists, operators and shippers to get their take on current freight and logistics markets and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Latest Episodes

Exclusive: Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen on Iran, Suez & Zim

March 4, 2026 richard 00:06:06 Comments Off

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...

The Rules Just Changed: Tariffs, Iran & What Freight Buyers Do Next | Paul Bingham, S&P Global

March 3, 2026 richard 00:14:26 Comments Off

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...

Carrier Consolidation, AI & Freight Fraud: Gebrüder Weiss North America CEO Mark McCullough

February 23, 2026 richard 00:25:01 Comments Off

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...

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Since being on the Freight Buyers’ Club I have been receiving great responses!

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Board Member, Executive Advisor & Ex-World Economic Forum Director of Supply Chain

Important conversations at a critical moment for global trade.

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CEO, Dimerco Express Group

Such insightful speakers and great content, Mike. You are one of my essential listens!

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Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association

I loved, loved loved this last podcast. So good to just learn more about how your area operates but also to hear perspectives.

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Topical, timely and an awesome cast of experts.

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Latest Videos

The Freight Buyers' Club

5.5K subscribers

Sea lions vs a container terminal. I know my audience.
We're in Lima, Peru ahead of the IATA World Cargo Symposium, recording a full week of Freight Buyers' Club and Air Cargo Unpacked content. This is what the day before WCS looks like — a visit to the DP World terminal at Callao, one of South America's major port operations.
I did swim with the sea lions after this was filmed. Highly recommend.
#IATAWCS #AirCargo #FreightBuyersClub #AirCargoUnpacked #Freight #Lima #Peru

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Me Swimming With Sea Lions vs a Container Port | Day Before IATA WCS Lima | Freight Buyers' Club

Recorded live at TPM26 in Long Beach, Kathy Liu, VP of Global Sales & Marketing at Dimerco Express Group, warns that the Iran conflict is already creating a serious ocean freight crunch, with over 100 vessels held at the Strait of Hormuz and container equipment shortages on the way.
While the immediate focus is on Asia-Europe trades, Kathy predicts the disruption will spread to key transshipment hubs including Singapore, Colombo and Nhava Sheva in the coming weeks.
Dimerco Express Group is a proud sponsor of The Freight Buyers' Club. For Asia-Pacific freight expertise, visit dimerco.com
#OceanFreight #SupplyChain #TPM26 #FreightBuyersClub #Dimerco #IranWar #ContainerShipping #StraitOfHormuz #LogisticsNews #FreightMarket #Singapore #Colombo #NhavaSheva #Shipping #GlobalTradeimerco

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Iran War Impact on Ocean Freight: Port Disruption & Container Shortage Warning | Kathy Liu, Dimerco

The Strait of Hormuz is closed. But that's just the start.
Recorded live at TPM26 in Long Beach, Mike King sits down with Bjorn Vang Jensen of Xeneta - the world's leading freight intelligence platform - to map the full global freight fallout from the war in the Middle East: trapped vessels, equipment cascading into the wrong places, surcharges hitting every trade lane, and why even transpacific shippers with no Middle East exposure are about to feel it.
Then there's air freight. Dubai and Doha - two of the world's biggest air cargo transhipment hubs - are effectively out of action. Passenger aircraft are being diverted. Belly capacity is disappearing. There is no easy workaround.
Bjorn has lived through every major freight disruption of the past two decades. His read on this one: it's serious, it's global, and it isn't going to resolve quickly.
Supported by Dimerco Express Group - connecting Asia with the world: https://dimerco.com
#FreightBuyersClub #TPM26 #MiddleEast #StraitOfHormuz #OceanFreight #AirCargo #SupplyChain #ContainerShipping #FreightMarket #Xeneta #Dimerco #GlobalLogistics #ShippingDisruption #FreightRates #SupplyChainDisruption

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War in the Middle East: The Global Freight Fallout | Bjorn Vang Jensen, Xeneta | TPM26

Recorded live at TPM26 in Long Beach, Kathy Liu, VP of Global Sales & Marketing at Dimerco Express Group, breaks down how the conflict in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz closure is already hitting Asia-Europe air freight rates and capacity, and why the ripple effects on US trades and intra-Asia lanes could intensify by May-June 2026.
Middle East carriers control a major share of cargo freighter capacity, pushing Asia-Europe rates up and squeezing hubs like Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Japan and Korea. Those same hubs are already under pressure from US trades and intra-Asia demand, and tariff-driven frontloading this spring could collide with the Iran disruption to create a serious crunch by May-June.

Dimerco Express Group is a proud sponsor of The Freight Buyers' Club. For Asia-Pacific freight expertise, visit https://dimerco.com/
#AirFreight #SupplyChain #TPM26 #FreightBuyersClub #Dimerco #IranWar #AirCargo #AsiaPacific #LogisticsNews #FreightMarket #StraitOfHormuz #AirCargoCapacity #Forwarders #FreightForwarding #GlobalTrade

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Middle East War Impact on Air Freight: Asia Capacity Crisis Explained | Kathy Liu, Dimerco

#FreightBuyersClub #ContainerShipping #Hapag-Lloyd
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

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Exclusive: Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen on Iran, Suez & Zim

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The Rules Just Changed: Tariffs, Iran & What Freight Buyers Do Next | Paul Bingham, S&P Global

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TPM26 Sneak Peek: Walking the Halls Before the Chaos

#FreightFraud #Logistics #FreightForwarding
Freight fraud is getting more sophisticated, more costly and more targeted. And most forwarders are not talking about it.
Mark McCullough, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss North America, is. In this clip from the Freight Buyers Club, Mark reveals how double-brokering scams cost GW $600,000 in a single year, how the fraud starts small with legitimate-looking loads and builds trust before striking, and why even the best vetting technology is not enough when criminals are changing their methods every week.
He explains how fraudsters build credibility over multiple legitimate shipments before executing a large-scale sting, how they clone real company identities down to executive names and email addresses, and why the sales culture inside freight forwarding businesses makes them particularly vulnerable.
This is an important conversation for anyone working in freight forwarding, brokerage or trucking. GW is not the only victim. They are just one of the few prepared to talk openly about it.
Sponsored by OntegosCloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialist.
Topics covered:
• How full truckload fraud works in practice
• The double-brokering scam explained step by step
• How fraudsters build trust before striking
• Why sales culture makes forwarders vulnerable
• What Gebrüder Weiss is doing to fight back
• Why sharing these stories matters for the whole industry
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/N7kVfrHfAAo
#FreightBuying #SupplyChain #Trucking #FTL #DoubleBrokering #FreightBrokerage #LogisticsTech #CarrierVetting #FreightMarket #Shipping #GlobalTrade #FreightBuyersClub #GebруderWeiss #OntegosCloud #TruckingFraud

This video exposes the significant issue of carrier fraud, specifically focusing on full truckload (FTL) fraud within the freight industry. We discuss how these broker scams, including sophisticated double brokering, are costing companies hundreds of thousands annually. Learn about the measures being taken to prevent fraud and protect businesses in the trucking and logistics sectors.

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Freight Fraud: How Sophisticated Scams Are Costing One Forwarder $600,000 a Year

"The 767 was never intended to fly the Pacific. It's a regional freighter they tried to adapt into long haul."
Neel Jones Shah - who sat on Amerijet's board - explains why Maersk is ending trans-Pacific 767 freighter operations. Three aircraft now heading to Amazon's closed loop. That's more cargo capacity leaving the open market.
From Air Cargo Unpacked - the monthly Freight Buyers' Club podcast, brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists.
Watch the full episode for more on the freighter capacity crunch, de minimis impacts and TAC Index rate analysis.
#AirCargo #Maersk #Amazon #Freight #Aviation #Logistics #SupplyChain #AirCargoUnpacked

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Maersk Sells Freighters to Amazon | Wrong Plane for Trans-Pacific

#FreightBuying #SupplyChain #Logistics
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.
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
#FreightForwarding #OceanFreight #TransPacific #Tariffs #SupplyChainManagement #FreightFraud #Automation #AI #LogisticsTech #CarrierConsolidation #Shipping #GlobalTrade #FreightBuyersClub #GebруderWeiss #OntegosCloud

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

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Carrier Consolidation, AI & Freight Fraud: Gebrüder Weiss North America CEO Mark McCullough

#Shipping #logistics #containers
When shipping lanes tighten or foreign policies disrupt American commerce, what should the industry expect from the FMC?
I asked new Chair Laura DiBella: Observation, investigation, or action?
Her answer: "Action, action. Action. Always action."
This is the mindset shift at the Federal Maritime Commission under DiBella's leadership - proactive enforcement, decisive responses, and a commitment to protecting US shippers in global trade.
"We do all of the above, but I'm an action-oriented person and certainly all those that work here - I defer to action all day long."
From our EXCLUSIVE interview with FMC Chair Laura DiBella, part of our TPM 26 special episode. https://youtu.be/kZ3NW1UwkhE
Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/
#FMC #LauraDiBella #Action #Leadership #MaritimePolicy #GlobalTrade #USShippers #SupplyChain #FreightBuyers #Enforcement #InternationalTrade #TPM2026 #FederalMaritimeCommission

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"Action. Always Action." – What New FMC Chair Laura DiBella Promises Shippers

MD-11 Freighters: Will They Ever Fly Again?
"You have to think really hard about these aircraft ever flying again."
Neel Jones Shah breaks down what the MD-11 grounding means for air cargo capacity. 61 aircraft. 10% of the global widebody freighter fleet. UPS has retired its fleet - FedEx still has a big decision to make.
From Air Cargo Unpacked - the monthly Freight Buyers' Club podcast, brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists.
Watch the full episode for more on the freighter capacity crunch, de minimis impacts and TAC Index rate analysis. https://youtu.be/Uq73qECWrwI
#AirCargo #MD11 #FreightNews #Aviation #SupplyChain #Logistics #AirCargoUnpacked

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MD-11 Freighters: Will They Ever Fly Again?

"There's no orders anymore. Everything is going very slow - doesn't matter, air or ocean freight."
Kathy Liu, VP Global Sales & Marketing at Dimerco Express Group, gives us the view from China. Nine days holiday - longer than usual. Factories started closing from 8 February. Expect a quiet market through the end of the month.
From Air Cargo Unpacked - the monthly Freight Buyers' Club podcast, brought to you by Ontegos Cloud, the freight forwarder profitability specialists.
Watch the full episode for more on the freighter capacity crunch, de minimis impacts and TAC Index rate analysis.
#AirCargo #ChineseNewYear #Freight #SupplyChain #CNY2026 #Logistics #AirCargoUnpacked

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Chinese New Year 2026: The View from Shanghai | Air Cargo Market Update

#HapagLloyd #ZIM #ContainerShipping
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
#FreightBuyersClub #Freight #Shipping #Logistics #SupplyChain #OceanFreight #GeminiCooperation #MSC #ShippingNews #FreightRates #GlobalTrade #Procurement #ShippingIndustry #PIL #WanHai #HMM #MaritimeNews #ContainerLines

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Hapag-Lloyd Buys ZIM Explained: Why Freight Buyers Should Care

#AirCargo #FreightRates #TACIndex
What's happening to air cargo rates? In this clip from Air Cargo Unpacked, Neil Wilson, Editor of TAC Index, breaks down the latest market data.
Neil explains the difference between spot and contract rates, why it matters for pricing decisions, and what the BAI indices are telling us about key lanes including Hong Kong-US, Shanghai and Taiwan.
Plus: the post-CNY outlook, how trade frictions could spark demand surges, and what UPS retiring its MD-11 fleet means for freighter capacity.
Featuring:
• Neil Wilson, Editor, TAC Index
• Mike King, Host & Executive Producer
TAC Index is the leading global price reporting agency on air freight rates and calculating agent for the Baltic Air Freight Indices.
Air Cargo Unpacked is a monthly Freight Buyers' Club production, sponsored by Ontegos Cloud.
Watch the full episode for more on the freighter capacity crunch, de minimis impacts on e-commerce, and Chinese New Year market analysis: https://youtu.be/Uq73qECWrwI
#AirCargoUnpacked #FreightBuyersClub #Logistics #AirFreight #SpotRates #SupplyChain #CargoCapacity #FreightMarket #GlobalTrade #Shipping

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Air Cargo Rates: TAC Index Breakdown | Post-CNY Outlook & Spot vs Contract Explained

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MD-11 Retirements, Capacity Crunch, E-Commerce & TAC Rates | Air Cargo Unpacked

The FMC is investigating Spain for allegedly blocking US-flagged vessels at its ports.
In 2024, three US-flagged naval-related vessels were denied access to Spanish ports. Now, FMC Chair Laura DiBella explains what could happen if Spain is found to have prohibited US cargo.
Potential consequences:
- Penalties
- Sanctions
- Denial of Spanish vessels at US ports
"If we determine that Spain did behave in such a way that prohibited US cargo at their ports, they could face penalties. They could face sanctions. They could face denial at our ports."
This is the FMC's new global enforcement power in action - holding foreign governments accountable for blocking American trade.
From our EXCLUSIVE interview with FMC Chair Laura DiBella.
🎧 Full interview: https://youtu.be/GlZPTBKUzA4
Big thanks to Dimerco Express Group for supporting independent journalism. https://dimerco.com/
Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/
#FMC #Spain #SpainInvestigation #GlobalEnforcement #MaritimePolicy #LauraDiBella #USShippers #InternationalTrade #SupplyChain #FreightBuyers #Sanctions #MaritimeLaw #TPM2026

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What Happens When Foreign Ports Block US Cargo? FMC Chair Explains

#shipping #containers #freight #logisticsnews
What should US shippers expect from the new FMC Chair?
Laura DiBella, confirmed as Federal Maritime Commission Chair in January 2026, outlines her vision: a shift from continental US focus to global oversight of how American shippers interact with international transportation.
"We've changed our pivot over the past couple years to go from not only continental United States, but take it global. And I would love to have it happen a lot more."
Her goal: Make commerce move quicker, more efficiently, more competitively.
"Our charter is so broad, it allows us to do so much, and I think we've only scratched the surface of what we can actually do."
From our EXCLUSIVE interview with FMC Chair Laura DiBella, part of our TPM 26 special episode. https://youtu.be/kZ3NW1UwkhE
🎧 Full interview: https://youtu.be/GlZPTBKUzA4
Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/
#FMC #FederalMaritimeCommission #LauraDiBella #GlobalTrade #Shipping #SupplyChain #MaritimePolicy #USShippers #FreightBuyers #Logistics #InternationalTrade #TPM2026

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FMC Chair: "We've Only Scratched the Surface" of Global Powers

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We integrate air and ocean freight, trade compliance and contract logistics services to make global supply chains more effective and efficient. The majority of our global shipping projects connect Asia’s logistics and manufacturing hubs with each other and with North America and Europe.

Started from a single location in Taiwan in 1971, we now serve customers from 150+ Dimerco offices, 80+ contract logistics operations, and 200+ strategic partner agents throughout China, India, Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe