Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

In this inaugural episode of the Loadstar Podcast Big Interview editor Mike King talks to AP Moller Maersk’s Morten Bo Christiansen, shipping’s Renaissance Man.

Over the last Morten decade has been tasked with finding solutions to some of the critical challenges facing both his company and the shipping and freight industry.

In his previous position as Head of Strategy he worked closely with CEO Soren Skou as Maersk ditched its energy business and started its bold ‘transformation’. This was designed to turn Big Blue from being a provider of commoditized port-to-port services into a fully-fledged container logistics integrator. A strategy which has not been without controversy, as this podcast explores.

If that wasn’t challenge enough, Morten has now stepped up once more to take on arguably an even greater undertaking. As Head of Decarbonization at AP Moller Maersk, his task is multi-faceted. While many shipping lines need to understand decarbonization in relation primarily to vessel design, new fuels and operations, Maersk now need to apply its decarbonization strategy to its extended global supply chains as it spends recent windfalls on everything from more warehouses to more freighters.

Maersk’ transformation rationale (1.53)

Parcels industry as inspiration (6.27)

Does Maersk still value smaller forwarders as customers? (8.15)

Why Maersk is taking decarbonisation seriously (10.21)

Regulators must step up (15.17)

Betting on methanol (17.48)

Maersk green pledge (23.53)

Why shipping needs a carbon tax (27.01)

Absolute zero vs net zero carbon emissions (29.15)

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

This jam-packed episode examines why container lines are getting increasingly picky about who they deem worthy of their servicesm and why the implications for forwarders are  far-reaching.

We turn our gaze on cargo thefts and why they are being dragged into the cultural wars, and we consider if container lines will continue to buy airlines.

We also look in more detail at what is happening on the Asia-Europe trade, we examine how liner network reorganisations are impacting less lucrative trades and we hear the latest on air and shipping freight rates.

Guests

Emma Rowlands, Strategic Sales Director for Hong-Kong headquartered Kerry Logistics

Peyton Burnett, Managing Director of TAC INDEX.

Hans-Henrik Nielsen, Global Development Director at CargoGulf

Stefan Verberckmoes, Shipping Analyst & Editor North Europe at Alphaliner

Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s Managing Director, Loss Prevention

Gavin van Marle, Managing Editor of The Loadstar

EP2 2022 in more detail

Are Maersk and other carriers snubbing forwarders? And does the market really want all-in services from lines given historical customer service performance? (2.30 – 11.00)

The latest shipping rates (11.00)

Air cargo rates go awry (13.00)

More carrier investments in air cargo as MSC makes its move? (17.10)

Asia-Europe forwarding focus – why shipping early makes sense. (19.45)

Trucking long-haul: Transit times from China to Europe (23.40)

Why stratospheric freight rates on the East-West trades are sucking capacity out of less lucrative lanes (27.15)

How the Middle East is coping with liner network recalibrations (34.20)

Cargo Thefts & Culture Wars (42.00)

Cargo Security and how to improve it (44.25)

Nusrat Ghani MP: A former UK Transport Minister who deserved better (49.40)

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

2022 is already shaping to be a year of daunting challenges for freight and shipping. Carriers by sea, air, ocean and rail can expect healthy profits. But for buyers, managing procurement and inventories has never been more important.

The lead-in to Chinese New Year factory closures at the start of February is the focus of this episode. Are we seeing the traditional mini-peak or is there a looming multimodal crunch on the horizon? And, what comes afterwards?

All is revealed as we hear the latest from China, and examine what’s happening in air freight markets and where container contract and spot rates are on the East-West trade lanes.

Guests:

 EP1 2022 in more detail:

Ocean spot rates ahead of Chinese New Year (3.10)

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

Our end-of-year special examines the biggest stories of 2021 and the narratives that have found traction in media far beyond the confines of logistics and shipping.

We pick out the winners and losers of pandemic supply chains. We analyse labour shortages, industry consolidation, the latest acquisitions, who has money to burn, and the biggest challenges facing forwarders and shippers.

And we look at rates and forecasts for 2022, what Covid means for the future of supply chain planning, and whether shippers and carriers can ever find common ground.

EP10 in more detail:

The Ever Given blockage of the Suez Canal (4.17)

Why it wasn’t a black swan event (6.36)

Why airlines are now taking air cargo seriously (7.46)

Air cargo peak season pricing – the last five years in perspective (9.00)

Greedy airlines? (10.00)

The winners from Covid supply chains (11.35)

High rates pull in new air freight entrants (15.40)

War chests for 2022 – who will buy what? (17.26)

Labour shortages cast shadow (19.36)

Loadstar journalists discuss their favourite stories of 2021 (21.14)

Coined here: Pure Play Contract Logistics Operators (23.52)

Regulators eye container shipping (25.57)

The biggest challenges in 2022 for forwarders and shippers (26.46)

John Pearson. DHL Express CEO – supply chain resilience (29.34)

Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime – why near shoring doesn’t work (32.15)

Air and ocean rate forecasts for 2022 (36.36)

Bjorn Vang Jensen, VP of Advisory Services at Sea-Intelligence – what Covid has taught carriers (39.23)

Can lines and shippers make peace? (42.50)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The world according to Michael Wax, Co-Founder and CEO of Forto (46.10)

Appearing in this episode:

Alex Lennane, Loadstar Publisher

Gavin Van Marle, Loadstar MD

Mike Wackett, Loadstar sea freight correspondent

Michael Wax, Co-Founder and CEO of Forto

John Pearson. DHL Express CEO

Bjorn Vang Jensen, VP of Advisory Services at Sea-Intelligence

Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

EP9 sweeps the length of global supply chains. From power cuts and factory shutdowns in China we swing across the Transpacific to the US where logistics networks are straining with final holiday season deliveries and pressure is mounting on the last mile. Then we jump to Europe where we’ll hear how terminal operators are coping with liner scheduling disarray. Or not as the case may be.

EP9 in more detail:

Guests:

Cathy Roberson, president, Logistics Trends & Insights

Caroline Wu, Area Managing Director for Maersk Greater China

Hans Nagtegaal, Director of Containers at the Port of Rotterdam

Brian Bourke, Chief Growth Officer at Seko Logistics

Sam Whelan, Loadstar Asia Correspondent

AND Frank Coles, EX-CEO of the Wallem Group and Strategic Advisor, Kariwa Maritime

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

EP8 of The Loadstar Podcast reports direct from Glasgow where world leaders are congregating for COP26, a meeting many believe is the last chance saloon for meaningful progress on climate change and one that could shape supply chain planning and investment for years to come.

EP8 also examines:

 Guests in this episode:

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

As the holiday season closes in, Episode 7 of The Loadstar Podcast looks at what one of our guests believes will be the “the mother of all peak seasons”.

We also examine:

Guests in this episode:

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

Episode 6 of The Loadstar Podcast turns its focus on the chaos currently affecting global container trades. Mike King is joined by a ‘who’s who’ of shipping and forwarding CEOs and analysts as they explore:

Participants in this episode:

John Butler, World Shipping Council (WSC) president and CEO 

Sarah Banks, Global Lead, Freight and Logistics at Accenture

Kelvin Leung, Asia Pacific CEO, DHL Global Forwarding

Soren Toft, CEO of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

Nick Saviddes, Loadstar News Editor

Jon Gold, Vice President, Supply Chain and Customs Policy at the National Retail Federation

Paul Page, Editor of the WSJ Logistics Report

Daniel Maffei, Federal Maritime Commission Chairman 

Lars Jensen, Vespucci Maritime CEO  

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

In Episode 5 of The Loadstar Podcast, Mike King is joined by Loadstar shipping reporter Mike Wackett, Eric Reuter, Forto’s Vice President for Asia, and Happy Chau, a fashion logistics expert and Director of Sales with Transpacific specialist OEC Group.

They examine how shipping and logistics have become mainstream news, what impact Covid outbreaks are having on ports, airports and freight rates, and why carriers are increasingly favouring longer contracts and larger shippers.

Jefferies analyst Randy Giveans {from 22.30) explains how the markets are reacting to record carrier profits, and where all the extra cash will likely be spent.

And James Hookham (from 34.15), the outspoken director of the Global Shippers Forum, gives a freight buyers’ perspective on current markets in an exclusive Q&A.

Credits: Created, Produced and Hosted by Mike King

In the fourth Episode of The Loadstar Podcast, Mike King is jointed by The Loadstar’s news editor Nick Savvides as they examine the latest efforts of the Biden administration and the Federal Maritime Commission to tackle shipping costs,

They’re joined by Stifel’s Bruce Chan to explore why he thinks structurally higher air cargo prices might be here to stay.

And a leading SME shipper in the US explains the damaging impact of supply chain delays on his business.

Mike is then joined by BIMCO chief shipping analyst Peter Sand for an in-depth examination of freight rates and the demand and supply outlook for container shipping.