The global container shipping market faces three key themes heading into next year: the impact of tariffs on trade flows and demand, structural overcapacity and carriers’ financial resilience, with strong balance sheets buying time to manage near-term risks. In this Talking Transports podcast, Stephane Kovatchev, Bloomberg Intelligence senior cyclical-industrials credit analyst, moderates a panel with Moody’s Daniel Harlid and Fitch Ratings’ Raman Singla examining the outlook for the global containerliner market through a credit lens. Overall, the tone was cautious on container shipping’s 2026 credit metrics. The panel took place at a Bloomberg Intelligence event during London International Shipping Week.

The global container shipping market faces three key themes heading into next year: the impact of tariffs on trade flows and demand, structural overcapacity and carriers&rsquo; financial resilience, with strong balance sheets buying time to manage near-term risks. In this Talking Transports podcast, Stephane Kovatchev, Bloomberg Intelligence senior cyclical-industrials credit analyst, moderates a panel with Moody&rsquo;s Daniel Harlid and Fitch Ratings&rsquo; Raman Singla examining the outlook for the global containerliner market through a credit lens. Overall, the tone was cautious on container shipping&rsquo;s 2026 credit metrics. The panel took place at a Bloomberg Intelligence event during London International Shipping Week.

Talking Transports by Bloomberg Intelligence features forwarding thinking conversations with analysts, executives and entrepreneurs that are shaping the future of the freight transportation industry. The focus will be on trucking, railroads, ocean and air freight markets and everything in between.

Talking Transports by Bloomberg Intelligence features forwarding thinking conversations with analysts, executives and entrepreneurs that are shaping the future of the freight transportation industry. The focus will be on trucking, railroads, ocean and air freight markets and everything in between.

Talking Transports

What Liners Have in Store for Credit Markets

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fd439415-60eb-4614-8005-b36800c6e1fd/transcript

Supply chain technology adoption is shifting from pilots to measurable gains in productivity and margins. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Lee Klaskow shares conversations from the floor of Manifest conference in Las Vegas, where innovation — not freight volumes — dominated. Vendors spotlighted AI agents for less-than-truckload workflows, robotics for e-commerce packaging, autonomous trucking, corrugate solutions to cut waste and reverse-logistics platforms to speed up resale readiness. C.H. Robinson cited 95% automation of LTL missed pickups, while robotics firm Ultra targets a $2–$3 billion packaging automation opportunity. Last-mile startup GoFo is challenging FedEx and UPS with lower-cost DSP models, while autonomous trucking firm Bot Auto is prioritizing cost-per-mile economics before scaling.

Supply chain technology adoption is shifting from pilots to measurable gains in productivity and margins. In this episode of the Talking Transports podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence&rsquo;s Lee Klaskow shares conversations from the floor of Manifest conference in Las Vegas, where innovation &mdash; not freight volumes &mdash; dominated. Vendors spotlighted AI agents for less-than-truckload workflows, robotics for e-commerce packaging, autonomous trucking, corrugate solutions to cut waste and reverse-logistics platforms to speed up resale readiness. C.H. Robinson cited 95% automation of LTL missed pickups, while robotics firm Ultra targets a $2&ndash;$3 billion packaging automation opportunity. Last-mile startup GoFo is challenging FedEx and UPS with lower-cost DSP models, while autonomous trucking firm Bot Auto is prioritizing cost-per-mile economics before scaling.

Manifest Highlights Supply-Chain Tech Payoff

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1bc6093e-731b-47e2-9002-b3f700da128b/transcript

AI’s growing appetite for power is quietly reshaping freight demand, creating new opportunities for transportation providers serving the oil and gas industry and its supporting infrastructure. In this Talking Transports podcast, Pinch Transport President Thomas Massalone joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Lee Klaskow to discuss a niche corner of the freight market: flatbed less-than-trucking serving every major oil and gas basin in the US and Canada. Unlike traditional LTL carriers such as Old Dominion or XPO, Pinch’s demand is more tied to oil prices than to the ISM manufacturing index. Massalone also provides insight into how consolidation has strengthened specialized carriers, helping mitigate inflationary pressures and combat fraud, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the company’s brokerage and drayage businesses.

AI&rsquo;s growing appetite for power is quietly reshaping freight demand, creating new opportunities for transportation providers serving the oil and gas industry and its supporting infrastructure. In this Talking Transports podcast, Pinch Transport President Thomas Massalone joins Bloomberg Intelligence&rsquo;s Lee Klaskow to discuss a niche corner of the freight market: flatbed less-than-trucking serving every major oil and gas basin in the US and Canada. Unlike traditional LTL carriers such as Old Dominion or XPO, Pinch&rsquo;s demand is more tied to oil prices than to the ISM manufacturing index. Massalone also provides insight into how consolidation has strengthened specialized carriers, helping mitigate inflationary pressures and combat fraud, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the company&rsquo;s brokerage and drayage businesses.

AI’s Demand for Power is Good for Transports

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ddd67fda-9385-4d81-bf2e-b3f400d8ab33/transcript

Market participants and investors appear optimistic that federal initiatives can drive out slack trucking capacity and ignite a prolonged rate recovery. The Bloomberg Intelligence truckload peer group is up 18% year to date vs. a 1% gain for the broader index. In this episode of Talking Transports, USA Truck CEO and co-owner George Henry joins BI’s Lee Klaskow to examine the early signs of structural tightening in the truckload market. Henry outlines the company’s asset-heavy strategy, with a growing emphasis on dedicated freight, safety-led operations and disciplined spot exposure. The pair also discuss the opportunities that come with being a private, stand-alone company, rate expectations, technology-fueled productivity, inflation and the story behind USA Truck’s logo.

Market participants and investors appear optimistic that federal initiatives can drive out slack trucking capacity and ignite a prolonged rate recovery. The Bloomberg Intelligence truckload peer group is up 18% year to date vs. a 1% gain for the broader index. In this episode of Talking Transports, USA Truck CEO and co-owner George Henry joins BI&rsquo;s Lee Klaskow to examine the early signs of structural tightening in the truckload market. Henry outlines the company&rsquo;s asset-heavy strategy, with a growing emphasis on dedicated freight, safety-led operations and disciplined spot exposure. The pair also discuss the opportunities that come with being a private, stand-alone company, rate expectations, technology-fueled productivity, inflation and the story behind USA Truck&rsquo;s logo.

USA Truck on the Industry’s Road to Recovery

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/aa23c7a4-66ca-469e-acb0-b3ed00ddc6fe/transcript

What Liners Have in Store for Credit Markets

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