Container Shipping 2026: Strategies Every Freight Buyer Needs Now
How can freight buyers win in 2026’s unpredictable container shipping market?
Host Mike King gets straight answers from two of the industry’s sharpest insiders:
• Mark Chadwick, President of the Global Shippers’ Association, representing some of the world’s biggest cargo owners — from energy giants to appliance makers.
• Chantal McRoberts, Director at Drewry Supply Chain Advisors, who helps global shippers make sense of volatile container markets after years inside major carriers.
Together, they unpack what’s next for container shipping, how to manage freight risk, and how smart buyers are negotiating contracts and planning for 2026.
⚓ In this episode:
• 2026 container shipping market outlook — the key trends and threats
• How to lock in smarter freight contracts and avoid nasty surprises
• The latest on emissions regulation and its cost impact
• Rate volatility on the Transpacific and Asia–Europe trades
• Managing risk, surcharges, and service reliability
• What shippers can do now to prepare for 2026
Packed with insights, forecasts and no-nonsense advice, this is the ultimate guide for freight buyers heading into another wild year.
⚓ Produced with the kind support of Dimerco Express Group [https://dimerco.com/]
CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet the Guests — Mark Chadwick & Chantal McRoberts
02:49 IMO MEPC: The Emissions Deadlock
08:25 Transpacific Market Mayhem
19:54 Contracting Season — Freight Buyer Strategy
27:44 Surcharges — The Love–Hate Relationship
34:05 Global Container Market Analysis
43:27 Outlook 2026 — Overcapacity, Alliances & Risk
48.55 Quick-Fire Forecasts
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