Talking Transports

Geopolitical developments from the US, increased protectionist policies, Red Sea risks and regional wars have created a climate of unprecedented uncertainty for the global containerliner industry. In this Talking Transports podcast, Joe Kramek, the president and CEO of the World Shipping Council joins Lee Klaskow, Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst, to discuss what the global industry is doing to move ahead of headwinds. Decarbonization remains paramount for the WCS despite the International Maritime Organization postponing a vote to adopt its Net-Zero Framework (NZF) until October. And how avoiding to pay rent pushed him into a long and gratifying maritime career. maritime career.
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Technology investment is no longer a luxury for supply chains, as it has become essential just to survive, let alone thrive. In this Talking Transports podcast, project44 founder and CEO Jett McCandless joins Lee Klaskow, Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst, to discuss how AI is transforming global supply chains from reactive to autonomous. McCandless explains how project44’s decision intelligence platform uses AI and multi-agent workflows to help shippers and logistics providers analyze disruptions, optimize responses and act in real time across all modes. He shares why “decision speed” now matters more than transit speed, how visibility must evolve beyond alerts, and why 2026 will mark a turning point as companies demand hard returns from AI investments. McCandless also offers his outlook on nearshoring, geopolitics, freight markets and the leadership lessons learned from returning project44 to founder mode.
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Global freight markets face another challenging year from geopolitical tensions, uncertain trade policies and slack capacity. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst Lee Klaskow shares how 2026 may play out for North American trucking, railroad and freight brokerage markets, as well as the global parcel and shipping sectors. An acceleration in the rate of capacity leaving the truckload market could ripple across less-than-truckload, freight brokerage and railroad industries, setting up for a better year than 2025. Technology-driven productivity investments could help offset a tepid demand backdrop and support improved margins. Supply growth is expected to outpace containerliner demand, which will weigh on rates and earnings.
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Geopolitical tensions, a fractured regulatory landscape and shifting trade patterns are reshaping the maritime industry in ways not seen in decades. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, maritime historian and former merchant mariner, Sal Mercogliano, joins Lee Klaskow, Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst, to break down the forces redefining global shipping. Mercogliano discusses the risks surrounding the Red Sea and Suez Canal, the rise of the shadow fleet and the challenges facing the IMO’s ambitious decarbonization goals. He also examines US shipbuilding ambitions, Jones Act reform and the critical role of the Merchant Marine in national security. Mercogliano shares insights from his seafaring career, his academic work and his popular YouTube channel, offering a wide-angle perspective on the future of maritime trade.
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The advent of artificial intelligence and machine learning has opened a new era of productivity gains for freight brokers, capacity owners and shippers. Supply chains are still in the early stages of adopting these tools, creating significant opportunities over the next several years. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, Augment CEO and co-founder Harish Abbott joins Lee Klaskow, Bloomberg Intelligence senior transportation and logistics analyst, to discuss how AI is reshaping the freight industry. Abbott outlines how Augie, Augment’s AI teammate, automates end-to-end brokerage workflows — from order to cash — while improving service levels and reducing costs. He also reflects on the challenges of scaling AI talent, the importance of change management, and how his early career at Amazon sparked his passion for fixing logistics’ inefficiencies.
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