Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Truckload market upcycle drives driver pay hikes
The truckload market is entering an early upcycle, prompting carriers to raise driver compensation. GP Transco lifted its top pay to 72 cents per mile with a 5‑cent increase and a 6‑cent incentive, allowing a first‑year driver to near $100,000 earnings. Hirschbach also announced a 10‑cent‑per‑mile raise for its over‑the‑road and lease drivers.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
The Briefing Room
The United States and Israel’s two‑month war with Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, choking the route that moves roughly 20% of the world’s oil and LNG. Consequently, crude prices remain elevated, feeding inflation pressures across major economies. The International Monetary Fund warns the conflict could push the global economy off its recovery path and spark a recession if it drags on. Experts on the program debate whether a cease‑fire will merely pause the damage or trigger lasting changes in energy markets.
Temu Adds Ribeye Steaks and Pork Chops, Expands Into Perishable Food
Temu has begun offering frozen ribeye steaks, pork chops, wagyu burger patties and bacon through U.S. supplier Grumpy Butcher. The move marks the marketplace’s first foray into perishable foods and puts its low‑price model to the test in a new...
Leaderdrive Profits Surge 61% as Chinese Humanoid Robot Demand Booms
Leader Harmonious Drive Systems Co., a key supplier of robotics components, reported a 61% jump in first‑quarter net income to 33 million yuan ($4.8 million) and a full‑year profit that more than doubled to 124.4 million yuan (≈$18 million). The surge reflects exploding demand...
BREG, OmniTRAX Collaborate to Grow Rail Real Estate Platform Into National IOS Network
Broe Real Estate Group (BREG) announced a $100 million investment to expand its rail‑connected industrial real‑estate platform into a national network of Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) and multimodal logistics hubs. The effort partners with OmniTRAX, leveraging its 35‑railroad short‑line system and...
Zebra Showcases New Supply Chain Solutions
At MODEX 2026, Zebra Technologies unveiled a suite of new wearable and mobile computers designed to boost supply‑chain visibility and frontline productivity. The flagship WS501‑R wearable merges barcode scanning and voice‑directed picking into a hands‑free device, while the TC501 and...
Use the WTO to Address Global Fertilizer Supply Constraints Related to the Iran War
The war in Iran has crippled the global fertilizer supply chain, affecting roughly 30% of worldwide trade that passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Export bans by China, Russia and Turkey have pushed fertilizer prices higher and sparked fears of...
From Net Oil Importer to Net Oil Exporter : Shifts in the Role of Petroleum in the US Economy
The United States transitioned from a long‑standing net oil importer to a net exporter around 2020, as refined petroleum exports outpaced imports. Data from the Federal Reserve’s FRED series show the net export share of GDP turning positive after decades...
AI Now Gobbling up Power and Management Chips for Servers
The chip shortage is now hitting power‑management ICs and Baseboard Management Controllers as AI‑focused servers commandeer capacity. TrendForce cut its 2026 server‑shipment growth forecast from 20% to 13% because lead times for these components have stretched to 35‑40 weeks for...
STB Signs Off on New Maverick County, Tex., Line
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved GER’s petition to build a new rail and commercial motor‑vehicle line in Maverick County, Texas, linking the Eagle Pass border to Union Pacific’s Eagle Pass Subdivision. The Board selected the Southern Rail Alternative as...
Norck Introduces Network-Driven U.S. Manufacturing Model to Eliminate Supply Chain Bottlenecks and Accelerate High-Precision Production
Norck, a precision CNC machining firm, launched a network‑driven manufacturing model that pairs U.S. engineering oversight with a global production network. The approach promises up to 30% shorter lead times and eliminates single‑source bottlenecks through capacity redundancy. By keeping design,...
West Asia Crisis: India, Qatar Discuss Ways to Boost Trade, Strengthen Supply Chains
India and Qatar met virtually to explore ways to expand bilateral trade and shore up supply‑chain resilience amid disruptions caused by the West Asia crisis. Trade between the two nations stood at $14 billion in FY24‑25, with both sides targeting a...
How Cargo Theft Is Changing in 2026
Cargo theft losses surged 60% in 2025, reaching an estimated $725 million, while confirmed incidents rose 18% to 2,646 cases. Thieves are now deploying “Trojan horse” drivers who infiltrate vetted carriers and using sophisticated email hacks to execute double‑brokering scams. The...
Now Antwerp-Bruges Reports Reduced Q1 Container Throughput
Antwerp‑Bruges reported a 2.6% drop in first‑quarter container throughput, handling 3.4 million TEU, after severe weather and a four‑day strike cost the port roughly 100,000 TEU. Rotterdam, its main rival, posted a modest 0.3% increase to 3.37 million TEU, briefly reclaiming Europe’s...
AIP to Acquire Honeywell’s Warehouse and Workflow Solutions Business in Carve-Out
American Industrial Partners (AIP) announced the acquisition of Honeywell's warehouse and workflow solutions business in a carve‑out transaction. The deal separates the logistics‑technology unit from Honeywell's broader industrial portfolio, allowing each company to focus on core strengths. While the purchase...
Untitled
Insight Works, a top provider of warehouse and shipping tools for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, announced the launch of Dynamic Ship 2.9. The update introduces a suite of new features that let users manage outbound and inbound shipping directly...
US Seizes Iran-Linked Tanker Majestic X
U.S. forces conducted a right‑of‑visit boarding of the 280,000‑dwt VLCC Majestic X, also known as Phonix, in the Indian Ocean’s INDOPACOM area. The vessel, listed on OFAC’s Iran sanctions list in December 2024, was seized while transporting Iranian crude. The operation...
Schiphol to Reduce Airline Charges because of Middle East Conflict
Amsterdam Schiphol will apply a temporary 10% discount on airport charges for daytime flights from April 27 2026 to March 31 2027 to offset airlines' soaring fuel costs caused by the Middle East conflict. The measure aims to keep essential connections and support the...
ROBOZE Announced as Lead of Italian Armed Forces R&D Project
ROBOZE has been appointed lead of the DIANA R&D project for the Italian Armed Forces and Navy, aiming to overhaul spare parts management through digitalisation and distributed manufacturing. The initiative, co‑funded by Italy’s Ministry of Defence under the National Military...
Teck Flags Chile Cost Pressure Amid Fuel Squeeze
Teck Resources warned that rising diesel and freight costs tied to supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could increase operating expenses at its Chilean copper mines through the second quarter of 2026. Despite the cost pressure, the miner delivered...
Charlie’s Produce Breaks Ground On New Facility In Spokane, WA
Charlie’s Produce, an employee‑owned fresh‑food distributor, broke ground on a 66,000‑square‑foot facility in Spokane, Washington. The new site will house 56,000 sq ft of warehouse space and 10,000 sq ft of offices, with completion slated for April 2027. Featuring 17 loading docks, multiple temperature zones,...
China and Chile Set up a Fully Digital Phytosanitary Certification System for Exports
Starting April 20, 2026 Chile began using a fully electronic phytosanitary certification system for all agricultural and forestry exports to China, marking the first time the Asian giant has adopted a completely digital inspection process with a trade partner. The platform was...
Guam and the Practical Impact of Climate Change
Guam serves as the United States' premier forward base for projecting power across the Asia‑Pacific, but climate change is amplifying super‑typhoon activity that threatens its operational viability. The island has endured two class‑4/5 typhoons within seven years, and rising sea‑level...
Flytrex and Little Caesars Partner to Deliver Full Family Meals by Drone
Flytrex has teamed with Little Caesars to launch drone delivery of full family meals using its new Sky2 platform. The octocopter can lift up to 8.8 lb, allowing two large pizzas, sides and drinks to be delivered in an average of 4.5 minutes...
Pentagon Cancels Battleship, Fuels Fake News Industry
This is the polar opposite of reality. Here’s how the fake news gets manufactured…. For years the Pentagon has been canceling big ship and aircraft orders and diverting the cash to think tank studies and consultants. “Experts” with PhDs hate the battleship because...
Tight Supply Drives Surge in High-End AHTS Dayrates
High‑end AHTS dayrates in the North Sea have surged as supply tightens. The global fleet of about 1,700 AHTS vessels includes only roughly 150 high‑spec units over 200 t bollard pull, with more than 60 % older than 15 years and no new...
A Comprehensive Guide to Belt Conveyor Systems: Types & Functions
Robson Handling Technology outlines a comprehensive guide to belt conveyor systems, detailing five primary types—flat, troughed, modular, curved, and high‑capacity bulk‑handling conveyors—and their optimal applications across manufacturing, logistics, mining, and food processing. The guide highlights key benefits such as consistent...
GS1 India Expands Chennai Development Centre
GS1 India inaugurated the expanded Chennai Development Centre, originally launched in 2023, to speed up innovation in 2D barcode migration, traceability and AI‑driven supply‑chain tools. The centre will scale flagship platforms such as DataKart, the Smart Consumer App, ClickIt and...
Forwarders Welcome Cathay Cargo’s New Medium-Haul Fuel Surcharge
Hong Kong freight forwarders welcomed Cathay Cargo's introduction of a medium‑haul fuel surcharge for South Asian routes, but they continue to protest overall surcharge hikes. The carrier's long‑haul surcharge rose from HK$3.2 to HK$18.6 per kg (≈$0.41 to $2.38), short‑haul...
Iran Takes Seized Ships to Port, Countries Seek Info on Seafarers' Safety
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz and moved them toward Bandar Abbas. One vessel, operated by MSC, carries Montenegrin and Croatian crew members; the other, the Liberia‑flagged Epaminondas, has Ukrainian and Filipino...
Navy Secretary Ousted for Advocating Overseas Shipbuilding
Two other White House officials there said the same thing. So was OMB Director Russ Vought. Whatever WaPo and Politico are selling, building a few Navy ships in Korea was not why the Secretary of the Navy got fired. Trump is...
Japan: Amendments to Prevent Circumvention of Anti-Dumping Duties and Abolish De Minimis Provisions
On 31 March 2026 Japan passed amendments to its Customs Tariff Act, Customs Act and related measures, introducing a system to curb anti‑dumping duty evasion and scrapping the 0.6‑times de‑minimis rule for personal imports. The reforms also empower customs officials...
5 Big Energy Stories - 4.23.2026: Y'all Calm Down
A wave of viral videos showing refinery fires has sparked conspiracy theories that a coordinated plot is cutting Middle‑East oil supply. The author counters this narrative by noting roughly 825 operating refineries worldwide, plus hundreds of smaller “teapot” plants, where...
US Blockade Disrupts some Iranian Tankers, Fleet Still Active
Shadow fleet tankers disrupted, but not completely deterred by US blockade on Iran ▶️Eight tankers have seen their voyages disrupted, some temporarily ▶️No signs that Iran’s shadow fleet in its entirety has ground to a halt ▶️US defence official stresses vessels can be...
Seized Ships Could Fill US Tanker Shortage, Standards Debunked
Fantastic. I’ll ask again: why not give these seized ships to the U.S. Merchant Marine? We desperately need tankers. And the USCG line that they “don’t meet our standards” is nonsense when our yards can repair them and our fleet already...
The Daily Feather — Chocolate Is to Peanut Butter as Loads Are to Trucks
The Daily Feather likens the freight market to a kitchen spread, saying chocolate is to peanut butter as loads are to trucks. Recent charts show a persistently tight market where demand outpaces truck capacity, driving spot rates upward. At the...
UPS Chooses Profit Over Volume, Teamsters Resist
Now playing on @artofsupply > UPS Picks Profitability Over Volume, and The Teamsters Push Back https://t.co/H7ATqj2san
California Bypasses Jones Act with U.S.-made Gasoline
"California has new way of getting gasoline due to Jones Act waiver" (And the fuel is American-made.) https://t.co/HnQQWljVtX "Nationally, 44 voyages by foreign-flagged vessels have carried petroleum products between U.S. ports" 😲 https://t.co/noAURnRzqq
Malaysia’s Durian Growers in ‘Survival Mode’ as Early Glut and Iran War Hit Export Trade
Malaysia’s durian growers are in "survival mode" as an early bumper harvest coincides with soaring fuel and freight costs linked to the Iran war. The surge in supply pushed Musang King prices from about $18 per kilogram to roughly $5,...
Come Back After Years? Expect Completely New Supply Chain Systems
If you focus elsewhere – or take a yearslong nap like Rip Van Winkle – you might wake up to a different world. I saw it stepping back into operations after 5 years building Tompkins Ventures. Part 2: the systems changed → https://t.co/5m9Hv5NN0C #SupplyChain...
New Shipbuilding Coalition Pushes Revived SHIPS Act
Rallying support to revitalize the SHIPS for America Act A new US Shipbuilding Coalition has been formed as the SHIPS Act is re-introduced to the House of Representatives https://t.co/ILHgojG7jX
Oil Exporters Scramble for Routes Beyond Hormuz — but There Are No Easy Options
The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly 20 million barrels per day of oil and gas exports, forcing Gulf producers to hunt for alternative routes. Existing pipelines such as Saudi Arabia’s East‑West line and the UAE’s Habshan‑Fujairah corridor...
SONAR Launches National Bulk Rate Index for Truckloads
SONAR introduces a national bulk rate index that tracks our new bulk truckload rates https://t.co/5l48WKnaTC
Typhoo and SlimFast Owner Strikes Deal to Produce and Distribute Carabao’s Drinks in the UK
Thai energy drink brand Caraboo has signed a licensing agreement with Supreme PLC, the owner of Typhoo Tea and SlimFast, to produce and distribute its energy and isotonic beverages in the UK. The partnership will see Caraboo’s drinks manufactured at...
BGS Expands Cooperation with LOT Across Central and Eastern Europe
Baltic Ground Services (BGS) has renewed its fueling contracts with LOT Polish Airlines at Riga and Ostrava, while adding Tallinn as a new service point. The three‑airport network will handle roughly 6,500 tons of jet fuel annually, underpinning LOT’s daily flights...
My Freighter Adds 10th Freighter
Uzbekistan‑based cargo carrier My Freighter added a tenth aircraft, a Boeing 767‑300BDSF, on 17 April after a ferry flight from the United States via Ostrava. The 30‑year‑old plane previously flew for Cargojet, which signed an interline agreement with My Freighter in December 2025....
MÁV Issues HÉV Fleet Tender
Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) subsidiary MÁV Passenger has launched an eight‑year tender for up to 54 new 1.5 kV DC EMUs to serve Budapest’s HÉV commuter network. The base order covers 18 trains, with an option for 36 more, and the...
Coll-8’s Drop2shop Expands Choice for Vinted Ireland Shoppers
Drop2shop, the fast‑growing Irish parcel collection and returns service owned by Coll‑8, announced a partnership with European fashion marketplace Vinted. The collaboration lets Vinted buyers and sellers in the Republic of Ireland send and receive parcels via Drop2shop’s network, starting...
Nippon Cargo Airlines Is New Member of the Airline Association BARIGʼs Air Cargo Segment
The Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG) has added Japan’s sole all‑cargo carrier, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), to its air‑cargo segment. NCA operates eight Boeing 747‑8F freighters and links Tokyo with Frankfurt, among other global routes. BARIG, representing over...
This Week’s IMO Green Shipping Talks Are a Test for Multilateralism
Governments gathered in London to push the International Maritime Organization’s Net‑Zero Framework (NZF), a combined technical fuel standard and emissions pricing scheme for international shipping. The sector moves 80% of global trade and accounts for roughly 3% of worldwide emissions....
SONAR Data Indicates Potential New TL Rate Supercycle
After a bullish KNX call, UBS asks about "another TL rate supercycle?" Indeed. SONAR's data certainly suggests so.... https://t.co/yqFfD1X8AW