Tariffs, Trade and the Billion-Dollar Ships: How Container Shipping Shapes Global Trade

On this episode of Executive Edge, Greg sits down with John McCown, non-resident senior fellow at the Center for Maritime Strategy and a leading authority on container shipping and maritime commerce. With more than four decades of operating and investment experience, John shares how his early career in banking led to a 20-year mentorship under Malcolm McLean, the inventor of container shipping, and later to founding TrailerBridge, one of the most efficient carriers in the industry.

From the rise of mega-ships and the efficiencies that fuel globalization to why the U.S. no longer ranks among the largest shipping fleets and the ripple effects of tariffs on trade, John offers deep insights drawn from a lifetime shaping and studying global commerce.

If you’re interested in leadership, economics, or understanding the system that quietly powers 90% of world trade, this conversation offers both history and practical perspective on an industry that touches us all.