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:

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:

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 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:

️ 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

Shipping analyst Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, explains to host Mike King how carriers are responding to new US port fees on Chinese-built vessels, the reshuffling of fleets, and why global ship orders aren’t shifting away from China despite the new policy. This extended clip is from The Big Interview – Freight Buyers Club EP54, produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/ #LarsJensen #FreightBuyersClub #ContainerShipping #USPortFees #CarrierStrategy #ChineseShips #ShipOrders #GlobalTrade #MaritimeLogistics #DimercoExpressGroup

DP World’s John Trenchard explains how one of the world’s largest port and logistics operators is cutting supply chain emissions and shaping the future of sustainable logistics in the UK and worldwide.

Recorded at Sustainable Logistics LIVE in London, this interview features Mike King, host of The Freight Buyers’ Club, in conversation with John Trenchard, Vice President for Sustainable International Supply Chains at DP World.

They discuss:
• How DP World is making its UK ports among the lowest-carbon in the world
• Practical steps to decarbonise freight and support retailers and shippers
• Real-world emission savings and cost impacts
• Plans to expand these sustainability initiatives globally
• Advice for procurement teams on achieving verified carbon reductions

This interview was produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud. [https://www.ontegos.cloud/]

#DPWorld #SustainableLogistics #SupplyChain #FreightBuyersClub #OntegosCloud #Decarbonisation #GlobalSustainability #Shipping #Ports

Join Mike King at DHL’s brand-new European Innovation Center (EPIC) in Troisdorf, Germany, for an exclusive conversation with Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Customer Solutions & Innovation. Discover how DHL is using robotics, AI and digitalisation to transform supply chains, warehousing and last-mile delivery — and what the future of logistics could look like over the next decade.

This content is produced with the support of Ontegos Cloud. [https://www.ontegos.cloud/]

#DHL #KatjaBusch #Logistics #FreightBuyersClub #AI #Robotics #SupplyChain #Innovation #ontegoscloud

Global liner shipping expert Lars Jensen joins Mike King on the Freight Buyers Club to break down new US port fees, tougher IMO rules and the 2026 container shipping outlook.
They discuss:
• How carriers are reshuffling fleets in response to US port fees
• The impact of IMO carbon charging and green fuels
• Transpacific, Asia–Europe, Africa & Australasia trade trends
• What happens if the Suez Canal fully reopens
Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/]
#FreightBuyersClub #LarsJensen #ContainerShipping #ShippingForecast #LogisticsPodcast #DimercoExpressGroup
Chapters
00:00:00 Cold Open – US Port Fees, IMO Rules, Suez & 2026 Outlook (Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group – https://www.dimerco.com/)
00:01:00 Intro, Credits & Guest – Lars Jensen joins Freight Buyers Club (+ events & sponsor)
00:02:20 US Port Fees Explained – Who pays, when it starts, and how carriers are reshuffling fleets
00:05:00 USTR Uncertainty – COSCO/OOCL tactics, China–Mexico shifts, and Seaspan reflagging
00:06:20 Competitive Impact – Can carriers pass costs on? COSCO $1.5bn hit and surcharge reality
00:09:00 Transpacific Snapshot – Demand, inventories & spot rates
00:15:00 Beyond Transpacific – Africa/South America/Europe growth; “cargo finds a way”
00:18:00 Asia–Europe Rates – Not ‘free fall’: normalization, capacity via Cape, GRIs & CNY timing
00:23:00 IMO MEPC Carbon Charging – Why the October vote matters for green fuels & ship orders
00:27:00 2026 Playbook – Recession risk, schedule reliability ~65%, Suez reopening scenario to 2027