The Loadstar

The Loadstar Media Ltd
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The Loadstar's podcasts help shippers and their logistics partners make sense of the container and air cargo supply chains. www.theloadstar.com

  1. 12/21/2025

    Year in Brief | The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of 2025  

    Join The Loadstar team as they round up the hot topics of 2025 and look forward to what might be coming up in 2026.   They detail what one word and song they would use to summarise this year’s antics, plus their winners and losers of all that has transpired in the last 12 months.   This podcast recaps forwarding woes and wins, carrier ambitions, ship fires, AI, ecommerce, trade shifts and much much more. Plus, each of The Loadstar journalists give their bold prediction on what to look out for next year.  So, sit back and relax as we remind you of all the major events that shaped supply-chains in 2025.

    27 min

  2. 12/15/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 50 2025 | Zim’s pressure, AI in air freight, pricing vs demand

    Coming up in this episode: container volumes are rising but prices are still falling, so what’s really driving the disconnect between demand and rates? We look at fresh CTS data, the role of China in reshaping freight buying behaviour, and why overcapacity isn’t showing up where you might expect. We’ll also unpack new ecommerce handling fees being introduced in parts of Europe and why the air cargo industry says they risk distorting established trade flows. Alex Lennane brings the latest on whether the so-called air cargo “mini-peak” still has legs and why AI shipments could become one of the highest-yield cargoes heading into 2026. Plus, pressure is mounting on ZIM’s board as shareholders push for change, WiseTech faces growing backlash over its new CargoWise pricing model, and we look at what a potential US tariff “vacuum” could mean for transpacific trade. Join The Loadstar's journalists as they analyse all that, plus rates, geopolitics and forwarder fallout.

    29 min

  3. 12/08/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 49 2025 | Refunds, route resets and Wisetech backlash

    After weeks of disruption, Southeast Asia’s ports are slowly reopening following historic floods - but delays and backlogs still plague regional supply chains. In more positive news, seafarers from the MV Eternity C have finally been released, and carriers are starting to eye a return to the Suez Canal, with the Ocean Alliance restarting transits and CMA CGM signalling confidence with naval escorts and new services.  Meanwhile in the US, importers like Costco are racing to file refund claims ahead of a potential Supreme Court ruling that could overturn tariffs, raising the prospect of a lengthy and chaotic reimbursement process. And in the tech world, WiseTech’s surprise CargoWise overhaul has triggered industry outcry, with logistics providers accusing the software giant of rolling out major changes without warning right at the height of peak season.  Charlotte Goldstone, Gavin van Marle and Alex Lennane bring you the week’s essential freight headlines in one short and snappy podcast.

    24 min

  4. 12/01/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 47 2025 | Ship fires, Suez standoff and air cargo’s mini peak 

    This week’s episode dives into the growing contrasts across global freight. In ocean shipping, Maersk has pushed back against claims of an imminent Suez Canal return — despite pressure from the Suez Canal Authority — leaving carriers and insurers guessing when routes might reopen.   Meanwhile, strikes in Belgium, ship fires in US ports, and record-low scrapping levels add to Europe’s congestion woes, as MSC piles on more transatlantic tonnage and Hapag-Lloyd invests in new feeder vessels.  Gavin van Marle unpacks the latest on ocean rates and why carriers are still betting big on capacity despite falling demand, while Alex Lennane brings updates from the air, from the return of UPS and USPS’s final-mile partnership to fears that the UK’s de minimis delay could turn it into an ecommerce “dumping ground”.  Plus, with Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday driving a short-lived “mini peak”, we look at how global airfreight demand is holding up, how Asia is powering through flooding disruptions, and whether Western Global’s struggles could mark the end of the MD-11 era.  It’s a busy week across air, sea and logistics — and this episode connects all the dots.

    21 min

  5. 11/27/2025

    The Loadstar Podcast: Africa's Logistics Boom

    In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast we take you inside one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving regions in global trade: Africa. Host and news reporter Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Mohammed Akoojee CEO & MD of DP World Sub-Saharan Africa. Together, they unpack why Africa is emerging as one of the most important players in global logistics and what still needs to happen to unlock its full potential. Mr Akoojee reveals why Africa’s role in global trade is accelerating, the critical role infrastructure plays and where DP World is investing billions to aid Africa's logistics boom and benefit local communities. He also explains why intra-African trade lags behind cross-border trade in Europe and what is needed to drive this, plus gives listeners a glimpse into what the future of Africa's trade could look like once the Red Sea crisis and trade wars are resolved.  So, if you're curious about the rise of new consumer markets and how better logistics can transform a continent, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

    26 min

  6. 11/23/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 47 2025 | America first, airfreight peak and liners' market share

    In this episode of News in Brief, The Loadstar team delves into the latest developments in the world of tariffs and refund issues, rail mergers, ecommerce and ocean rate dynamics.  In under 20 minutes, our award-winning journalists provide insights into how these topics - and many more -  could affect supply chains and consumer prices.  So, tune in now for a comprehensive overview of the week's most significant shifts, and to hear what to keep an eye on for the week ahead!  All the stories mentioned in this episode can be found on The Loadstar's website.

    19 min

  7. 11/16/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 46 2025 | Shifting trade, Suez suspense and Supreme Court hearing

    New CTS data shows just how deeply tariffs have hit US trade and Indian airfreight volumes, as Southeast Asia surges ahead under the China + 1 strategy. The Loadstar team unpacks the numbers — and what they mean for rates, resilience, and rerouted cargo. As the US Supreme Court takes on Trump’s reciprocal tariff policy, tension builds over whether refunds will ever materialize. Meanwhile, signs of peace in the Red Sea have carriers eyeing a return to Suez — but with overcapacity already looming, could that just make the freight picture murkier? And what will this mean for airfreight? Plus, we look at booming trade through Southeast Asia, MSC’s fruit-fueled pivot to South Africa, and the EU’s new vote to end de minimis. All that and the best of Loadstar Premium — from California trucking chaos to “Wonder Jim” at Union Pacific — in this packed global round-up.

    18 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    News in Brief podcast | Week 45 2025 | Ocean highs and headaches and insight from ACF

    This week, the shipping industry hits new highs and new headaches.   MSC’s record 7m teu fleet cements its dominance, while Maersk eyes fresh megaship orders amid warnings of a looming capacity glut that could stretch to 2030. Gavin van Marle breaks down the latest rate moves, the growing talk of rate wars, and what Q3 results reveal about carriers’ financial standing  While in air cargo, Alex Lennane reports from TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum in Abu Dhabi with exclusive insights from Etihad Cargo.  She also digs into Europe’s latest ecommerce crackdown with France grounding Shein imports and Cainiao pausing expansion in Liège, plus how a prolonged US government shutdown could soon clip flight capacity.  From ocean overcapacity to airfreight uncertainty, this week’s episode keeps you up to date with the latest news across global logistics.

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The Loadstar's podcasts help shippers and their logistics partners make sense of the container and air cargo supply chains. www.theloadstar.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Loadstar Media Ltd
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © The Loadstar Media Ltd
  • Show Website
    The Loadstar

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