After a two-week break, News in Brief returns with a major geopolitical development at the top of the agenda: a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, reopening the Strait of Hormuz - at least for now. But with fresh attacks still reported and negotiations only just beginning, uncertainty remains high across global supply chains.

Gavin van Marle breaks down what this means for ocean shipping, from disrupted services and carrier pullbacks to the big question: will freight rates fall, or stay elevated amid ongoing risk and operational uncertainty?

We’re also joined by Aevean’s Head of Consulting, Maarten Wormer, to explore how the airfreight market is reacting, from shifting capacity and routing decisions to whether any sense of normal seasonality is returning in a market shaped by constant disruption.

With war risk surcharges, volatile fuel costs and unanswered questions around future transits, this episode unpacks what the ceasefire really means for shippers, and why stability may still be some way off.

This week, we unpack the latest developments in the Middle East and what a continued disruption means for global supply chains. 

Host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Freightos’ head of research, Judah Levine, for a data-driven look at how ongoing conflict, airspace closures, and shipping reroutes are reshaping both air and ocean freight markets. With Gulf carriers under pressure, we explore the extent of the air cargo capacity squeeze and what it’s doing to rates across key lanes. 

On the ocean side, the picture is more nuanced. Despite disruption concerns — from Hormuz risks to fuel price volatility — rate increases haven’t surged as sharply as expected. So what’s actually happening beneath the surface? 

Later, Gavin van Marle joins the conversation to break down emerging supply chain patterns, including shifting trade routes, the growing role of alternative hubs like Jeddah, and the broader balance between supply, demand, and geopolitical uncertainty. 

Plus: the latest premium stories and what’s been moving the market this week all in just 20 minutes.  

Escalating tensions in the Middle East are once again creating uncertainty for global supply chains. In this episode, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Marco Forgione, director general of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, to discuss the latest developments in the conflict and what they could mean for global trade flows, oil prices and supply chain resilience. They also look at tariff developments and whether shippers are changing their strategies in response.

Charlotte is then joined by Alex Lennane, publisher of The Loadstar, to run through the latest airfreight developments, including airspace disruptions across the Middle East, tightening capacity and rising fuel costs. Plus, a two-day cockpit crew strike across the Lufthansa Group and the latest twist in the ongoing Panama ports dispute involving Cosco, Maersk and MSC.

Finally, Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, shares the latest data on ocean freight spot rates and explains how geopolitical tensions and capacity shifts are shaping the market. He also offers advice for shippers and forwarders navigating an increasingly volatile freight environment.

Hear all the important points of last week's supply chain news in just over 20 minutes!

Global supply chains are once again navigating turbulent waters. In this episode, we break down the immediate logistics fallout from the escalating conflict in the Middle East – from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and vessels turning back mid-voyage, to collapsing air cargo capacity as Gulf airspace shuts down. What could this mean for freight rates, fuel markets, and global capacity?

Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Alex Lennane to unpack the biggest stories of the week, including the early impacts on ocean and air freight, the legal debate around force majeure, and the latest developments on US tariff refunds. Later, Gavin van Marle checks in from TPM in Long Beach with the key themes dominating conversations at the industry’s biggest gathering.
All this plus much more, in just 20 minutes!

Last week’s news of the US Supreme Court ruling striking down Trump’s IEEPA tariffs has sent shockwaves through global supply chains but now comes the hard part: getting your money back.

In this episode, we unpack the fallout of the tariff revocation. With potentially $100bn–$300bn in duties up for refund, the process is already shaping up to be complex, litigation-heavy and politically fraught. We discuss the emerging secondary market for tariff refund claims, why some SMEs are selling their rights for cents on the dollar and what FedEx’s landmark legal move could mean for other corporates seeking repayment.

Ocean spot rates remain muted amid the Chinese New Year lull, but could a restocking surge send transpac rates soaring? With carriers eyeing March GRIs of up to $3,000 and early signals pointing to higher 2026 contract rates, we examine what tariff reversal could mean for capacity, pricing and negotiations at TPM.

Plus, a look into the current dynamics shaping the air freight market, weather disruptions at major US hubs, Wistech earnings, and much much more, all in just 20 minutes!

The Loadstar team unpacks a busy week in supply chain and logistics, in less than 20 minutes!

This episode, Alex Lennane discusses her exclusive on DSV’s reported switch away from CargoWise that sparked industry-wide debate last week. She and Charlotte Goldstone raise fresh questions about TMS loyalty and divulge the hot topics at Manifest. Is this the beginning of a systems shake-up across forwarding?

Meanwhile, Gavin van Marle speaks on Hapag-Lloyd's reported $4.2bn bid for Zim and details how it could reshape alliance dynamics and redraw the competitive map in container shipping.

Add in a long-awaited decision on tariff legality from the US Supreme Court, soaring blank sailings from CNY capacity cuts, warnings of a looming transpacific rate war, shifts in air cargo capacity, and much much more. If you need a refresher of the news ahead of a new week, plus a reminder of what could be still to come, this is the podcast for you.

Global container shipping had a rollercoaster year in 2025, and the numbers tell a fascinating story.

In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by CEO of Container Trades Satistics (CTS) Nigel Pusey and The Loadstar’s managing editor Gavin van Marle to break down the biggest shifts in volumes, pricing and trade lanes over the past year.

From surging intra-Asia and Far East–Europe growth to a sharp decline on the transpacific, the trio unpack how tariffs, geopolitics and the China+1 strategy reshaped global flows. They dive into why freight rates fell nearly 20% year-on-year despite strong demand, where peak season really showed up, and how secondary trades quietly stole the spotlight.

Plus, there’s a scorecard moment as past predictions are put to the test, and some bold new forecasts are made for 2026 that may or may not age well. Data-driven, opinionated and refreshingly honest, this is essential listening for anyone trying to make sense of today’s container markets. 

Earnings season is in full swing, and the numbers are telling a story. This week on News in Brief, The Loadstar team break down Maersk’s Q4 and DSV’s Schenker-fuelled growth, plus the job cuts across both companies. 

Alex Lennane also details a tech comment in DSV’s earnings call that’s quietly rattled the freight forwarding world. 

The episode also tracks falling ocean rates, firmer air freight prices, rising European road contracts, and fresh questions over when ships will really return to Suez.  

Add in Panama port drama, looming parcel fees, Chinese New Year pressures and a hint of Manifest gossip, and you’ve got a lot to catch up on. 

Global trade runs on one essential ingredient: access to capital. Yet for millions of businesses, particularly SMEs in emerging markets, trade finance remains complex and out of reach.

In this episode of the Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Sinan Ozcan, senior executive officer and board director at DP World Trade Finance, to unpack how trade finance really works, and why it matters more than ever.Since launching in 2021, DP World Trade Finance has mobilised over $1.6 billion in working capital and partnered with more than 30 financial institutions, reshaping how trade is funded by embedding finance directly into DP World’s global ports and logistics ecosystem.

Mr Ozcan draws on more than 25 years of experience across banking, export credit, logistics, and trade finance to explain:

If you’ve ever been confused by trade finance or wondered how data, logistics, and capital can come together to unlock global trade, listen now! 

This week’s News in Brief tracks a fragile balance across global shipping. Fresh investment into CMA CGM’s terminal portfolio highlights carriers’ long-term bets, just as renewed Houthi threats underline how uncertain a return to the Suez Canal remains and why Cape of Good Hope routings are still propping up today’s capacity balance.

Weather disruption across Europe and the US adds another layer of pressure, while earnings updates from UPS and others reveal the ongoing fallout from restructuring, fleet changes and weakening demand.

Gavin van Marle unpacks the latest spot rate movements as the pre–Chinese New Year rush fades and carriers begin discounting to fill ships.

Alex Lennane brings updates from air freight and overland transport, including storm impacts, aircraft retirements and fresh questions around rail consolidation in North America. Plus, a look at one of the few bright spots of the week: a new EU–India trade agreement that could signal a rare shift towards freer trade.

From Red Sea risk to rate wars, this episode lays out what matters now and what to watch next.