How AI Data Centres Are Changing Project Logistics Pricing | Andrew McNamara, ON.energy

For years, project forwarders have complained that customers say they value quality of service but ultimately buy on price. So has the AI data centre boom finally produced a sector where the ability to deliver counts for more than the cheapest rate? Recorded live on the Voices Stage at Breakbulk Americas in Houston, this episode of Project Cargo Professionals puts that question to Andrew McNamara, director of Global Logistics at ON.energy, which is deploying 5 GW of its patented AI UPS™ technology across Crusoe’s hyperscale campuses. Andrew’s answer is carefully weighed: price still matters, of course, but “probably relative to other cargo sectors, it matters less.” The equipment is highly valuable, the cost of missing a deadline is severe, and on projects where so much is riding on energisation, he says “failure really is just not an option”. Andrew also gives host Luke King a shipper’s view of what these vast, fast-moving projects look like on the ground. He describes construction sites with 5,000 people working in parallel and equipment lead times measured in years, and explains why schedule slippage is something ON.energy is, in his words, “allergic to”. Drawing on a career that began in freight forwarding at BDP International, he sets out what separates the best logistics partners from the rest. The episode closes with questions from the Houston audience. We discuss: - Whether price matters less in data centres than in other project cargo sectors - Why the cost of failure changes what shippers will pay for - What logistics providers must demonstrate before approaching a shipper like ON.energy - Building resilience and contingency into delivery - ON.energy’s 5 GW deployment with Crusoe, and how AI UPS™ protects the data centre from the grid and the grid from the data centre - The cargo profile: transformers, inverters, switchboards and UN 3536 batteries - Delivering to construction sites with 5,000+ workers - Why logistics providers should get involved further upstream - Whether the boom will last, and the aftermarket opportunity in service, spares and warehousing - Andrew’s journey from freight forwarding to the shipper side 🎥 Recorded in Houston at Breakbulk Americas 2026. Hosted by Luke King and produced by Prospect Communications, a specialist PR consultancy for the project cargo sector. For all enquires relating to the podcast, email Luke@prospectcomms.co.uk and visit https://www.projectcargopros.com/ About Breakbulk Breakbulk organises the world's largest events for project cargo and breakbulk logistics, bringing together cargo owners, EPCs, carriers, forwarders and ports from across the global supply chain. With flagship events held annually in Dubai, Rotterdam, Houston and Singapore, Breakbulk serves as a key meeting point for networking, deal-making and industry insight. 👉 Visit https://breakbulk.com to find out more about upcoming events and registration. About Our Series Sponsor: Rhenus Project Logistics Global Rhenus delivers turnkey solutions for complex industrial and infrastructure projects worldwide, combining in-house engineering with multi-modal transport and its own asset base. 👉 Visit https://www.rhenus.group/uk/en/projec... for more info.