Tales Of Logistics

In this episode of Tales of Logistics, Odiche explores the 2025 "Export Wars" — how nations turned exports, containers, and shipping routes into instruments of power as production and trade shift to new hubs from India and Vietnam to Africa and Mexico.

Using examples like rare-earth restrictions, export bans, and emerging logistics corridors, the episode shows how supply chains are breaking, adapting, and why logistics has become t...

It was supposed to be a regular busy week at the Panama Canal — a vital 80-kilometer maritime chokepoint handling about 5% of global trade. But in mid-2023, a historic drought driven by a shifting El Niño dropped Gatun Lake’s water levels so low that the locks could not operate normally. Panama’s authority imposed draft restrictions, slashed daily transits from 38 to 24, and opened paid auctions for priority slots, forcing shippers...

This episode explores the economics and challenges of last-mile delivery — the final leg from distribution center to customer — which can account for up to half of total logistics costs.

Host draws on Amazon and industry examples to explain the main cost drivers: fragmented stops, failed returns, and rising customer expectations. Real cases from European retailers and UPS illustrate the gap between commercial and residential delive...

In this episode of Tales of Logistics — Customs Cut Series Part 4, we investigate ghost ships in the Mediterranean: flagless vessels that switch off transponders to carry smuggled fuel, weapons, drugs and people, and the challenges customs face in tracking and seizing them.

Using the case of the tanker Aristo and a look at legal loopholes, financiers and enforcement gaps, the episode reveals how silence and stealth enable illegal m...

Hello and welcome to this week's episode focused on the aviation industry. Shane Peterson, a veteran air traffic controller with military and FAA experience, shares his 25-year career—from working busy facilities like Chicago O'Hare to training new controllers. He explains daily duties, shift patterns, responsibilities, stressors, and the rewards of ATC, including pay and pension.

Shane recounts a harrowing near-crash involving a C...

This episode explains how attacks in the Red Sea forced carriers to reroute ships around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10–14 days to voyages, spiking fuel and insurance costs, and triggering surcharges that drove container rates sharply higher.

We break down the domino effects on global supply chains — longer transit times, capacity tightness, route shifts, and costs passed to consumers — and discuss how businesses are adapting by ...

For this week's episode of Tales of Logistics we focus on trade compliance and serialization with Rohit Singhal, a supply chain professional in the pharmaceutical industry. Rohit explains daily challenges, how serialization and aggregation make medicines traceable, and why data governance and partner compliance matter.

Key takeaways include common blind spots (master data, denied-party screening, CMO errors), practical implementati...

This episode explains the U.S. decision to suspend the de minimis exemption, why it was done (security and protecting domestic retailers), and how it changes duties for low‑value imports.

It outlines the immediate impacts: new tariffs or fixed charges (up to 30% or $25–$50 per item), winners such as U.S. retailers and Amazon, and losers like overseas e‑commerce platforms and cross‑border payment services.

Practical advice for shopp...

In this week's episode, we dive into the complex world of reverse logistics, exploring its profound impact on the e-commerce industry. Join host Odiche as we discuss the hidden costs of returning unwanted or faulty items purchased online, and how these affect consumers, retailers, and suppliers alike.

Discover why returning a product can be a heavy financial burden for businesses, leading to significant industry-wide expenses that ...

Imagine discovering kilos of cocaine hidden behind the walls of a refrigerated container, camouflaged as frozen berries. This gripping episode of Customs Cut Part 3 unravels the extraordinary drug bust at Sydney's Port Botany, where a routine delivery from Chile and Belgium turned into an international investigation.

We delve into how smugglers ingeniously exploited legitimate supply chains, deploying tracking devices to reclaim th...

The latest episode of "Tales of Logistics" explores the misconception of free shipping, uncovering the chain reaction it triggers across the logistics industry. Discover stories from van drivers, small business owners, and analysts about the real impact of 'free' delivery. As consumer demand for rapid shipping rises, the environmental cost and pressure on small businesses also grow. Tune in to learn how some brands are championing ...

Welcome to Tales of Logistics! In today's Customs Cut Part 2, your host Odiche dives into the chaotic events that plagued the Lagos Port during the turbulent year of 2020. As the pandemic raged globally, Nigeria faced its own crisis with a gridlocked port that affected not only the country but also West and Central Africa's supply chains. Discover how a combination of poor infrastructure, protests, and a lack of automation led to s...

In this episode 1 - "Customs Cut - Part 1" we explore the dramatic events of March 23rd, 2021, when the Ever Given container ship blocked the Suez Canal, a critical route for over 12% of global trade. As the ship lay wedged sideways, it became a symbol of the vulnerabilities in our global supply chains.

Host Odiche takes us through the cascading consequences of this incident, as over 400 vessels found themselves stranded, and ports...