Mike King from The Loadstar and his guests examine why Northern Europe’s hub ports are struggling to cope with container volumes; what Joe Biden’s forays into shipping policy mean for shippers; and why predictions of a cargo surge from China have not materialized.

Contributors also discuss the air cargo supply-demand balance and the sector’s logistics challenges, what next for AirBridgeCargo and where (and when) container lines might spend their huge profits.

And in part two, Xeneta’s Peter Sand makes some bold predictions for container shipping as the global economic picture deteriorates. Box volumes were originally expected to see healthy growth this year, but those forecasts are rapidly being revised. Could we even see a contraction in 2022, and if so, what would this mean for spot and contract freight rates? In short, is winter coming for some tradelanes?

Listen to the full podcast here.

Guests

Dennis Grady, vice president for ocean product at Ascent

Peyton Burnett, managing director of TAC Index

Craig Fuller, founder & CEO at FreightWaves and Flying

Philippa Dyson, coordinator of transport sector engagement at TRAFFIC, a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development

Episode in more detail

The end of globalisation? (3.37)

Will China remain a reliable partner? (7.26)

The air cargo market (12.00)

Who is paying for spiking jet fuel prices? (16.56)

The re-regionalisation of supply chains (21.00)

A pre-peak season surge? (27.31)

Freight and WFH  (37.33)

The winners from a trading reset (41.00)

Complicity and the illegal wildlife trade (45.00)

New IMO rules (52.49)

Air cargo steps forward on smuggling (57.02)