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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.
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 Lui, VP Global Sales & Market, 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