The Loadstar

What do the numbers tell us about the global container shipping market in Q3 2026? In this special episode of The Loadstar Podcast , we team up with Container Trades Statistics (CTS) CEO Nigel Pusey to unpack the latest data and explore the forces shaping global trade. Joined by The Loadstar’s Managing Editor Gavin van Marle, we examine another quarter of record-breaking container volumes, the con...

In this week's News in Brief, we look at the latest developments shaping global shipping and air cargo, from growing port congestion concerns to shifting capacity and geopolitical uncertainty. Loadstar managing editor Gavin van Marle joins us fresh from the World Ports Conference in London to discuss the key talking points from the event, the latest concerns around potential disruption at the Los...

In this bonus episode of The Loadstar Podcast, we catch up with Loadstar Publisher Alex Lennane fresh from Miami, where she attended TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum (ACF). Ms Lennnane shares her key takeaways from the event, including the atmosphere on the ground, major leadership changes across the air cargo industry and what these handovers could mean for the sector’s future. We also explore the biggest...

How reliable is container shipping right now, and what are the biggest factors impacting on-time performance?   This week on News in Brief, Xeneta Chief Analyst Peter Sand joins us to unpack the latest schedule reliability data, explore how different carrier alliance strategies are performing, and examine the ongoing impact of port congestion on capacity and sailing schedules.   We also discuss th...

Port congestion is putting pressure on global supply chains, from West Africa and Europe to the Middle East, while escalating conflict is creating fresh challenges for air cargo. In this episode, Drewry’s head of Ports and Terminals, Eirik Hooper, joins us to discuss the causes of congestion, whether major investments in African ports will deliver meaningful improvements, and how automation could...

AI is everywhere in logistics right now, but what does it actually mean for freight forwarding?  In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast , host Charlotte Goldstone speaks to Erik Muttersbach, founder of Zauber and former Forto technology executive, about where AI and agentic AI really stand today, what is already happening in forwarding, and what could change over the next three to five years.  Er...

A profitable quote does not always become a profitable shipment. In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone asks where freight forwarders lose money between booking and delivery, and what they can do to protect their margins. Emma Crumpton, enterprise solutions director at Portcast, explains how detention and demurrage charges, mismatched buy and sell rates, and costs that a...

Airfreight markets are facing constant disruption, from shifting ecommerce flows and changing rates to tight capacity and growing uncertainty across major trade lanes. In this special sponsored episode, Tristan Koch, Chief Commercial Officer at Awery Aviation Software, joins us to discuss the latest China-Europe ecommerce trends, how airlines and forwarders are responding to volatile demand, and w...

What’s keeping Transpacific freight rates elevated as the peak season approaches? This week, Gavin van Marle joins us to discuss the latest rate movements, the changing US-Canada trade relationship and a significant leadership shake-up at PIL.  Plus, Awery’s Tristan Koch joins us to examine the latest airfreight data, the continuing decline in China-Europe ecommerce volumes, shifting rates and cap...

Transpacific freight rates are on the rise — but is capacity really the problem? This week, Stephanie Loomis of Noatum Logistics joins us to unpack the latest rate increases, booking risks and service reliability, as well as the shifting outlook for Asia-Europe trade and global vessel capacity.  Plus, Loadstar Publisher Alex Lennane looks at the latest upheaval in airfreight, from Amazon’s network...

This week on News in Brief , we look at Hapag-Lloyd’s latest proposals in its bid for ZIM, the impact of renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, and the resilience of global container trade despite ongoing disruption, plus what all the external factors mean for rates.  We also bring you key takeaways from the EU CBEC Ecommerce Forum in Liege with Rotate's Jonathan Mellink, including the impa...

Geopolitcal tensions, port congestion and shifting freight rates dominate this week’s News in Brief.   Host Charlotte Goldstone chats to ex-liner exec Nils Roche about the latest US-Iran escalation, the impact on the Strait of Hormuz and the return of shipping via Suez, alongside berthing disruption at Shanghai and Ningbo.  We also examine falling Asia-Europe air freight capacity following the EU’...

The freight forwarding industry is changing fast, with consolidation, growing competition from major carriers and integrators, and a volatile geopolitical landscape reshaping the market.  In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, we speak to Dan March, CEO of WCAworld, about what these changes mean for small and medium-sized forwarders. Are SMEs being squeezed out by industry consolidation, or does...

What’s really driving freight rates in 2026? In this episode of  The Loadstar Podcast , we’re joined by Judah Levine, Head of Research at Freightos, to discuss the latest trends across global ocean and airfreight markets.  Judah shares his insight on rate movements across the major lanes, the balance between supply and demand and the impact of external factors on freight markets. We also discuss t...

What do the first six months of 2026 tell us about the state of global container shipping? In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Container Trades Statistics CEO Nigel Pusey and The Loadstar managing editor Gavin van Marle to dig into the numbers behind the biggest stories shaping the market. From an 8.9% surge in Far East exports and continued growth in intra-As...

While importers are beginning to receive refunds after the US Supreme Court struck down the original IEEPA tariff regime, the Trump administration has already introduced a new Section 301 tariff framework targeting imports from 60 economies.   In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Trade Force Multiplier CEO Cindy Allen to unpack the latest developments. The...

In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast News in Brief , we unpack another busy week across global supply chains. Chief analyst Peter Sand of Xeneta joins us to discuss the latest fallout from tensions in the Middle East, why container lines are continuing Red Sea transits despite ongoing security risks, and what the recent wave of emergency surcharges really means for shippers. We also examine the...

This week on News in Brief, we unpack the latest wave of US tariffs on Canada and Brazil and what they mean for global supply chains. Gavin van Marle explains why transpacific shipping is entering uncharted territory, explores the latest developments in ports and terminal operators - from Santos to the Panama Canal - and examines how carriers are keeping rates resilient despite ongoing overcapacit...

In this one-off explainer episode, we're joined by Mathew Dib, duty director of Marine Operations at Pole Star Global, to explore how El Niño, unusually warm Atlantic waters and evolving weather patterns could shape the months ahead. We discuss what ship operators should be watching this year, and how real-time decision-making is becoming more important than ever.  If your curious about how extrem...

Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are once again rippling through global supply chains, driving congestion, tightening capacity and reshaping freight rates. This week, Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Gavin van Marle to unpack the latest developments on the India-Europe trade, volatile ocean freight markets, schedule reliability and the strategies carriers are adopting to navigate pe...

This week on the  News in Brief  podcast, we unpack one of the biggest changes to air freight liability in decades as new IATA direct air waybill rules shift greater responsibility onto freight forwarders - sparking a fierce dispute with FIATA and raising major concerns across the industry.  We also examine Maersk's dramatic upgrade to its earnings forecast and what it reveals about today's contai...

This week on  News in Brief , host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by The Loadstar's managing editor Gavin van Marle and publisher Alex Lennane for a wide-ranging look at the stories that shaped global freight markets over the last seven days.  From the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and yet another round of ocean carrier surcharges to allegations of a container manufacturing cartel and fresh tak...

In this episode, host Charlotte Goldstone is joined by two leading industry voices to unpack the biggest stories shaping global supply chains.  First, Charlotte speaks with James Hookham, director of the Global Shippers’ Forum, about growing shipper frustration over ocean freight pricing, opaque carrier surcharges and the shifting balance of power between carriers and cargo owners. They discuss in...

In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast News in Brief, we bring you the latest developments shaping global supply chains, from rising tensions in the Middle East to renewed controversy over ocean freight pricing and the key takeaways from TIACA's Executive Summit. First, Loadstar Managing Editor Gavin van Marle joins us for an update on the container shipping market that examines growing criticism...

This week on The Loadstar Podcast, Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Noatum Logistics’ Stephanie Loomis to unpack the shifting dynamics in ocean freight, from the disappearance of traditional peak season patterns to evolving carrier behaviour amid persistent overcapacity. T hey also discuss how tariff-driven supply chain adaptations are reshaping global trade routes — and which changes may be here...