News Podcast | January 2023 | Reading this year's freight market as China abandons zero-Covid policy

Chinese New Year traditionally sees a spike in air and ocean demand – and freight rates – ahead of factory closures for the holidays, which start on 22 January. But will tradition mean a thing in this inflation-ridden start to the year? How long will factories stay closed? And what does the unwinding of China’s zero-Covid policy mean for manufacturers, international travel, air cargo and shipping supply chains in the coming weeks and the year ahead?

Host Mike King and his guests also explain what air freight markets are doing ahead of Chinese New Year and look at the outlook for ocean freight rates after the spot market collapse of 2022.

Guests:

Steve Saxon, partner, McKinsey & Company

Peter Sand, chief analyst, Xeneta

Neel Jones Shah, EVP of air strategy and carrier development, Flexport

Episode in more detail:

China opens for business; Covid let rip (1.28)

Chinese carriers ready to fly (8.34)

China + 1 (11.32)

A CNY boost for air cargo demand? (14.10)

How long will factories stay closed (16.00)

Air cargo supply-demand (17.57)

US demand (22.15)

Shipping freight rate analysis (25.00)

GRI failures (27.40)

More blanks to come (30.11)

Carrier gloom forecast (30.11)

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Air freight rates data provided by TAC Index – helping clients make the best air freight decisions

Sea freight rates data provided by Xeneta – the shipping industry’s most accurate source of container rates