July 23, 2025

US Tariff Tsunami: Container Rates, Shipper Pain & One Big Beautiful Act

37 minutes

US trade policy is back in the headlines – and hitting global freight hard. In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club, Mike King investigates the fallout from “Liberation Day”, tariff volatility, and the sweeping “One Big Beautiful Act” signed into law by President Trump.

We cover container shipping rate chaos, what exactly TACO means, and a bold SME shipper proposal to refund tariffs for profit-sharing companies.

️ Featured Guests:
● Torsten Hartmann, Senior Director of Trade Management – Transpacific, Hapag-Lloyd
● Edwin Lopez, Managing Editor, Supply Chain Dive (Industry Dive)
● Susan Williams, Founder, Kalalou Inc.

Topics include:
● Transpacific freight rate swings post-tariff
● SME importers facing million-dollar tariff bills
● A $200B US rail merger in the works
● Strategic carrier responses from Hapag-Lloyd
● US policy uncertainty and its impact on global supply chains

Watch more episodes at: https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefreightbuyersclub2866

00:00 - Intro: Welcome to the Freight Buyers Club, introduction to the podcast and sponsor Dimerco Express Group

00:50 - Mike King’s Introduction: Overview of the episode, discussing US trade policy, container chaos, and upcoming interviews

01:50 - Context on US Trade Policy: Discussion of Liberation Day, tariffs, and their impact on trade from Asia to the US

03:50 - Transpacific Trade Rollercoaster: Analysis of container shipping market trends since Liberation Day

04:50 - Interview with Torsten Hartmann (Hapag-Lloyd): Senior Director of Trade Management – Transpacific discusses regulatory chaos and Gemini network

06:00 - Gemini Network Success: Torsten Hartmann explains the 90.9% reliability and operational discipline

07:00 - Customer Feedback and Contracts: Impact of reliability on customers and contracting amidst tariff volatility

08:00 - Peak Season and Demand: Discussion on front-loading cargo and lower demand scenarios

09:50 - Capacity Management: Hapag-Lloyd’s strategy of using smaller ships instead of blank sailings

10:50 - Port Congestion Update: Current state of Asian and North American ports

11:50 - 2026 Outlook: Torsten Hartmann’s thoughts on future demand and US economy concerns

12:00 - Sponsor Message: Dimerco Express Group advertisement

13:00 - Interview with Edwin Lopez (Supply Chain Dive): Managing Editor discusses covering tariff chaos

14:10 - Real-World Impact on Supply Chains: Edwin Lopez on tariffs, compliance costs, and volatility

16:10 - Front-Loading and Domestic Transport: Effects of import surges on trucking and warehousing

18:00 - One Big Beautiful Act: Key freight impacts from the July 4th legislation

19:50 - De Minimis Exemption Changes: Implications for e-tailers and supply chains by 2027

21:50 - Domestic Freight Market: Trucking, warehousing, and intermodal sector challenges

23:40 - Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger: Discussion on potential rail consolidation

25:50 - Interview with Susan Williams (Kalalou Inc.): Founder and SME importer shares tariff impact on her business

27:40 - Tariff Costs for Kalalou Inc.: Susan Williams details $435,000 in 2024 and $445,000 in 2025 tariffs

29:10 - Susan’s Frustration as a Trump Supporter: Balancing support for Trump with tariff challenges

30:50 - Proposed Solution: Employee Profit Share Tax Credit to offset tariffs

33:50 - Economic Benefits of the Plan: Susan Williams explains the win-win for companies, employees, and the economy

35:40 - Advocacy Efforts: Susan Williams’ outreach to industry leaders, journalists, and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith

37:50 - Call to Action: How others can support Susan Williams’ tariff relief plan

38:50 - Outro: Mike wraps up, thanks guests (Torsten Hartmann, Edwin Lopez, Susan Williams), and credits production team and Dimerco Express Group

...more

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By Mike King

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