This is Episode 50 of The Freight Buyers’ Club, produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group.

In this milestone episode, host Mike King is joined by three heavyweight shipper representatives to discuss how the world’s biggest retailers and technology companies are navigating today’s turbulent trade landscape.

• Ken O’Brien, President of Gemini Shippers Association, reveals how major transpacific freight buyers are handling container contracts and tariff uncertainty.
• Jess Dankert, VP Supply Chain at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), shares how America’s biggest retailers are managing inventory flows, holiday shipping, and front-loading strategies.
• Ed Brzytwa, VP International Trade at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), unpacks the legal and policy battles over tariffs, Section 232, and de minimis trade, plus what potential refunds could mean for supply chains.

Topics covered include:

• How shippers are balancing spot rates vs. long-term contracts in 2025
• The impact of tariffs, transshipment rules, and trade wars on supply chain strategies
• Why retail and tech companies are rethinking their sourcing footprint
• The future of global container shipping supply and demand

Whether you’re a BCO, forwarder, or just trying to make sense of the tariff-fuelled chaos in global trade, this episode offers rare insights directly from the people buying freight at scale.

#FreightBuyersClub #OceanFreight #AirCargo #ContainerShipping #Tariffs #TradePolicy #SupplyChain #EcommerceLogistics #RetailSupplyChain #TechSupplyChain #TranspacificTrade #GlobalTrade #Logistics

Temu, Shein, and other fast-growing e-commerce giants are facing a seismic change in how they ship to U.S. consumers. In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club – produced with the support of MSC Air Cargo – host Mike King is joined by three leading voices in global logistics to unpack the end of the U.S. $800 de minimis exemption, its upcoming global suspension, and the ripple effects for air cargo, forwarders, and shippers.

Guests:

• Brandon Fried – Executive Director, Airforwarders Association
• Neel Jones Shah – Senior Advisor, The Boston Consulting Group & MD at INOA Capital (former EVP at Flexport and Chief Cargo Officer at Delta Air Lines)
• Damian Brett – Editor, Air Cargo News

Discussion highlights:

• What ending de minimis means for cross-border e-commerce flows
• How integrators like DHL, FedEx and UPS are adapting
• Which trade lanes could benefit from shifting volumes
• Deep dive on key air cargo markets including the transatlantic, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia
• The role of Latin America as Chinese e-commerce pivots away from the U.S.
• New tariffs and their impact on high-value, time-sensitive air cargo
• Will peak season 2025 be muted – or surprise to the upside?

In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club, host Mike King speaks with Susan Williams, founder and CEO of Kalalou Inc, a Mississippi-based importer that was once a heavy shipper from China, India, Indonesia, Haiti, and more. Now, due to sweeping US tariff policies, her container volumes have nearly halved – and her company faces over $1 million in annual tariff bills.

Despite being a Trump supporter, Susan shares her growing frustration with trade policy, explains why SMEs like hers weren’t the intended target, and unveils her own profit-sharing tax credit proposal as a way to support American workers and sustain import-reliant businesses.

This is a powerful first-hand account of how logistics, supply chains, and international trade policy collide – and what one business owner is doing to push for change.

Originally featured in Episode 48 of The Freight Buyers’ Club.
️ Produced with the support of Dimerco Express Group. https://dimerco.com/

#Tariffs #Trump2025 #USImports #TradePolicy #SupplyChain #HomeDecorBusiness #ShippingCosts #FreightBuyersClub #LogisticsPodcast #ContainerShipping #Kalalou #MississippiBusiness #PortLogistics #SmallBusinessTariffs #USChinaTrade #Dimerco #ImportExport #USManufacturing #SupplyChainDisruption #FreightPodcast #SMElogistics

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 ta...

In this special Freight Buyers’ Club explainer, Mike King unpacks the recent U.S. crackdown on de minimis exemptions – and why this policy change is sending shockwaves through global air cargo and e-commerce supply chains.

Joined by:

• John Pearson, CEO, DHL Express
• Kathy Liu, VP Global Sales & Marketing, Dimerco Express Group
• Mark Chadwick, President, Global Shippers Association
• David King, Board Member, The Airforwarders Association

This episode covers the regulatory changes, their impact on capacity, pricing, and logistics strategy – and what freight buyers need to know to stay agile.

Supported by MSC Air Cargo – enabling independent journalism in freight.

#DeMinimis #AirCargo #FreightBuyersClub #EcommerceLogistics #TradePolicy #SupplyChain #LogisticsNews #AirFreight #FreightForwarding #GlobalTrade #DHL #MSC #Dimerco

How do you keep global trade moving when shipping lanes are under threat and borders are tightening?

In this episode of The Freight Buyers’ Club, host Mike King speaks to Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding for the Middle East and Africa, inside DHL’s massive new EV logistics facility in Dubai.

Diallo reveals how DHL has responded to the Red Sea shipping crisis, is investing across the region, and has turned disruption into competitive advantage.

We cover:

• DHL’s rerouting strategy around the Red Sea and Gulf tensions
• Growth opportunities across Africa and the GCC
• Challenges with customs regulations and talent acquisition
• The role of logistics in driving regional peace and economic growth

Subscribe for more expert interviews from the world of global logistics and supply chain.

#DHL #logistics #redseacrisis #supplychaindisruptions #freightbuyersclub #ShippingNews #shipping #containershipping #globaltrade #AmadouDiallo #DHLForwarding #freightforwarding #aircargo

Host Mike King meets John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, inside one of the company’s cutting-edge express logistics facilities in Dubai.

Standing on-site, Pearson unpacks DHL’s €500 million investment across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, explains why he remains bullish on global trade despite growing protectionism, and dives into the e-commerce boom and the fallout from de minimis regulation changes in the U.S.

Key talking points:
DHL’s €500M strategic play in the Gulf
The real state of global trade amid U.S. retreat
️ How platforms like Temu and Shein are reshaping logistics
Why new de minimis rules are hitting China–US flows
DHL’s long-term view on infrastructure and capacity in MENA

Subscribe to Freight Buyers’ Club for insider interviews from the front lines of global supply chains.
Filmed standing at a major DHL major Dubai logistics hub

#DHL #Logistics #FreightBuyersClub #MikeKing #JohnPearson #GlobalTrade #DeMinimis #Ecommerce #UAE #SaudiArabia #SupplyChain

In this episode of The Freight Buyers Club, Mike King sits down with Vivian Brunialti, Regional Development Director for the Americas at JAS Worldwide, and Andrea Goeman, Senior Vice President for QHSE and Sustainability. They share expert insights on navigating freight challenges amid tariffs, supply chain shifts, and geopolitical uncertainty in 2025.

Discover how freight buyers can strategically manage sourcing decisions, balance air and ocean freight, and adopt nearshoring trends to mitigate risks. Andrea and Vivian also explore how sustainability and ESG goals intersect with today’s fast-moving freight market.

Key topics include:

• Navigating US tariffs and their impact on freight routing and sourcing
• Nearshoring strategies in Asia Pacific and the Americas
• Optimizing air and ocean freight amid market volatility
• Integrating ESG and sustainability into supply chain resilience
• Practical tactics for flexible contracts, inventory, and risk management
• JAS Worldwide’s growth and investment plans in key markets

Whether you’re a logistics leader or freight buyer, this episode offers actionable strategies to stay agile and competitive in uncertain times.

Subscribe and follow The Freight Buyers Club for the latest freight market insights and expert interviews.

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

https://www.thefreightbuyersclub.com/

Port congestion details cited in this podcast can be found here: https://www.linerlytica.com/

#FreightStrategies #SupplyChain2025 #LogisticsPodcast #Nearshoring #Sustainability #ESG #FreightBuying #JASWorldwide #SupplyChainResilience #Tariffs #LogisticsManagement