Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Logistics volatility declared permanent in 2026 State of Logistics Report
The report finds supply‑chain volatility now a permanent condition, with U.S. logistics costs falling to $2.4 trillion, or 7.8% of GDP, down from $2.6 trillion in 2025. Five structural forces—uneven global growth, tighter financial conditions, geoeconomic realignment, labor constraints, and energy price swings—drive the new normal, while AI and automation reshape operations.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
Breakbulk26: Trade Lane Shifts, Policy Changes Among Evolving Challenges for Breakbulk Cargo
Breakbulk cargo volumes are rapidly shifting, with Asian shipments flooding North America as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East reshape trade lanes. Logistics firms like GE Power and COLI Group report capacity constraints and cargo shortages in Europe, forcing more parceling and schedule adjustments. US policy changes—particularly around wind‑energy projects and aluminum tariffs—are diverting cargo from ports such as Vancouver, prompting diversification strategies. Weather extremes and labor shortages further complicate fixed‑date shipping, underscoring the need for tighter carrier‑partner communication.
Ships Use Territorial Waters to Bypass US Blockade
How can dozens of ships defeat the US Blockade, as the FT repost below says is happening? The map shows how a tanker can travel from Kharg Island to Mumbai while remaining within the territorial waters of Pakistan and India. The US...
The Shadow Fleet Is Undermining the Maritime Order More Brazenly than Ever
In 2026 Baltic Sea nations, France, India and others intensified inspections, detaining more shadow‑fleet vessels than ever before. Russia responded by deploying naval escorts for shadow ships through the English Channel and Baltic Sea, while Iranian vessels continued to evade...
NewPower Worldwide Named a Partner of the Year at HPE 2026 Partner Summit
NewPower Worldwide was named HPE’s Spares Supply Chain Partner of the Year at the 2026 HPE Operations Partner Summit. The award recognizes the company’s ability to secure critical components, execute rapid fulfillment, and maintain reliability for HPE’s global customers. NewPower’s...
Mideast Gulf War May Dent Brazil Asphalt Demand
The Middle‑East conflict has pushed global asphalt prices sharply higher, lifting Brazil's delivered asphalt costs by more than 50% since the US‑Israeli war with Iran began in late February. Domestic refiners Acelen and Ream raised prices 25% and 40% in...
Priority Technologies
The edited volume "Priority Technologies" outlines a strategic roadmap for the United States to maintain security and prosperity in a volatile global landscape. It identifies six priority technology sectors—critical minerals, semiconductors, biomanufacturing, quantum computing, drones, and advanced manufacturing—as essential for...
Cargill Opens Regina Canola Facility
Cargill announced that its new canola processing plant in Regina, Saskatchewan, is now fully operational. The facility can handle up to 1 million metric tons of canola each year, serving growers in Saskatchewan and western Manitoba. Situated at the Global Transportation...
Port of Oakland March Volumes Rebound
The Port of Oakland handled 198,667 TEUs in March 2026, up from 163,254 TEUs in February, as vessel calls rose to 86 from 72. Imports and exports were nearly balanced, each around 99,000 TEUs. Year‑on‑year March volume fell 8.6%, and...
The End of the Neutral Stack: Choose Your Ecosystem
The automotive industry is abandoning the long‑standing neutral stack model as OEMs begin locking in compute and software platforms early in the vehicle development cycle. Simultaneously, data‑sovereignty regulations are forcing a split between China and non‑China vehicle architectures. Suppliers that...
Can Local Governments in Western Australia Use AI to Assess Tenders and Expressions of Interest?
Western Australian local governments are exploring AI to evaluate expressions of interest and tender submissions. Generative AI can sort, summarise and highlight gaps in large bid packages, but the law still mandates procedural fairness, confidentiality and human accountability. Councils must...
ASOS Exec Reveals How Flexible Fulfillment Is Changing Fashion Retail | RTS 2026
In this OmniTalk Retail interview, ASOS Brands Director Shazmin Malik explains how the company’s flexible fulfillment models—Partner Fulfill and ASOS Fulfillment Services—enable a global, multi‑brand ecosystem that serves 18 million customers across 200 markets. She highlights the rapid growth of these...
The 17-Year Orderbook Nobody’s Tracking — Inside Shipbuilding’s Quiet Supercycle
A veteran LNG shipping CEO warned in December 2025 that the global orderbook of 234 new LNG carriers for 2026‑2030 will fall far short of the 229 million tons of liquefaction capacity slated for completion by 2030, creating a 70 Mt shortfall....
Breakbulk26: Loss of Persian Gulf Oil Supplies Difficult to Replace Quickly
At the Breakbulk26 conference, S&P Global Energy’s Amy Groeschel warned that the war in the Middle East could trap roughly 16 million barrels of crude and refined product in the Strait of Hormuz each day, a volume that cannot be replaced quickly....
Adamas Launches Western CIF Price Forecasts
Adamas Intelligence has launched Western CIF price forecasts for nine rare‑earth oxides, including NdPr, Nd, Pr, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu and Y. The forecasts aim to fill a data vacuum as virtually no separated oxides are produced or traded...
SMMT Urges EU to Amend Made in Europe Rules to Protect U.K. Auto Trade
On April 15, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) urged the EU to amend its draft Industrial Accelerator Act so that UK‑built vehicles, parts and batteries receive the same “Made in Europe” treatment as EU products. The SMMT...
CMA CGM Adjusts BAF on France–Tunisia Ro-Ro Service
CMA CGM will revise its Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) for the ro‑ro South service linking France and Tunisia, effective May 1 2026. The new surcharge sets full rolling units at €649 (≈$708) per unit, empty units at €430 (≈$469), other rolling cargo...
New ISO Standards Bring Clarity to Chain of Custody
The International Organization for Standardization released ISO 22095‑2 and ISO 22095‑3, expanding the ISO 22095 framework to provide concrete operational requirements for the mass‑balance and book‑and‑claim chain‑of‑custody models. These standards harmonize how companies account for recycled, renewable, or otherwise certified material throughout complex,...
Andelyn Partners with S. Korea-Based ENCell to Accelerate Global Delivery of Gene Therapies
Andelyn Biosciences and South Korea’s ENCell have signed a collaboration to create a dual‑hemisphere manufacturing bridge between the United States and the Asia‑Pacific region. The agreement leverages both firms’ GMP facilities, viral vector expertise and regional networks to accelerate development,...
The Tariff Refund Process Has Begun for Businesses. What About Customers?
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched an online portal to begin refunding $166 billion in tariff revenue, but refunds are paid to the importer of record, not directly to consumers. Shipping giants DHL, FedEx and UPS said they will...
Wednesday Afternoon News Updates: Iran Seizes Ships as Trump Flails — 4/22/26
President Trump’s approval rating slipped to 33% overall and 30% on the economy, the lowest levels since Nixon’s resignation. Iran demonstrated its naval reach by seizing two commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and warned it could target undersea...
HP Chief Commercial Officer: Memory Crunch Unlikely To Ease For ‘Many’ Quarters, ‘Creative’ Offsets Available
HP’s chief commercial officer Dave McQuarrie said the company is now able to honor 30‑day price quotes despite a memory‑chip price surge of roughly 100% quarter‑over‑quarter. The memory crunch, driven by AI‑related data‑center demand, is expected to persist for many...
On Energy, Our Supply Chains NOT Keeping Up
U.S. energy production reached unprecedented levels in 2025, with crude oil output climbing to 13.6 million barrels per day and natural‑gas output hitting nearly 109 billion cubic feet per day. These figures make the United States the world’s largest energy producer by...
Powering the Arsenal: CSIS Warns Energy Could Limit U.S. War Production
The Center for Strategic and International Studies warns that the United States’ defense‑industrial surge could be throttled by regional energy shortfalls, not a lack of total power. A CSIS brief estimates a full‑scale war would need about 17.4 petajoules of...
GAO to USDOT: Report to Congress on Multimodal Freight Office Progress
The Government Accountability Office has urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to resume regular congressional reporting on its Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, a unit created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to coordinate freight across...
UPS Expands Product Return Network
UPS Inc. announced the addition of more than 1,700 new Return Bar locations, bringing its box‑free, label‑free drop‑off network to 10,000 sites nationwide. The expansion, driven by partnerships with Annex Brands and PackageHub Business Centers, now places 79% of the U.S. population...
Edison: Qatar to Extend Gas Force Majeure, U.S. LNG Filling Gap
Italian utility Edison warned that Qatar may keep its LNG force majeure in place beyond mid‑June, after the Gulf supplier cancelled ten cargoes totaling 1.4 billion cubic metres. To bridge the shortfall, Edison secured seven cargoes from U.S. exporters, effectively substituting...
Rivian Begins Production of Second EV with R2 Deliveries Coming in Q2
Rivian has started production of its second vehicle, the R2 compact SUV, at the Normal, Illinois plant. The R2, positioned against the Tesla Model Y, delivers up to 656 horsepower, 0‑60 mph in 3.6 seconds and an estimated 345‑mile range....
Raytheon Secures $3.7 Billion Contract to Supply Patriot GEM-T Interceptors to Ukraine
Raytheon, an RTX subsidiary, secured a $3.7 billion contract in April 2026 to supply Patriot GEM‑T interceptor missiles to Ukraine, with financing from the German government. The missiles will be produced at a new Raytheon‑MBDA joint‑venture plant in Schrobenhausen, Germany, intended...
Sonoco Details Cost Management Strategies as Input Expenses Rise
Sonoco announced that its three‑year transformation is complete and outlined cost‑management tactics as input prices surge. In Q1 2026 the company posted $1.68 B in net sales, $68 M net income and delivered $8 M of cost savings, primarily from structural changes. It...
New Methods Could Ship Alberta Bitumen Without Pipelines
How Alberta Bitumen Could Bypass Pipelines Entirely Economist Richard Masson explains new approaches to shipping bitumen to market. #ableg #abpoli #oilsands https://youtu.be/Hr6wDz-_hXo
EU Finally Admits Oil and Gas Still Essential
The EU finally realizing it’s going to need oil & gas for long enough to justify frontier exploration.
Used-Truck Purchasing Heating Up: Pricing Offers Mixed Signals in Latest Data
Used‑truck purchasing accelerated in March, with same‑dealer Class 8 sales up 9.1% month‑over‑month, the strongest volume in nearly five years. Retail average price held steady at $55,591, flat from February but modestly lower year‑over‑year. Auction volume surged 25% MoM, outpacing retail...
SMCI Nears Resolution of Nvidia Chip Smuggling Allegations
$SMCI is getting close to filling the “allegations of smuggling Nvidia AI chips into China” gap https://t.co/wRUyCxU5ij
June 1 Traffic Normalization Odds Dip to 46%
Meanwhile, probability that the traffic in the Strait will return to normal by June 1st lowest level since April 13th (46%) https://t.co/ZSS8VlOSXs
Washington, Tennessee National Guard Modernizes Bulgarian Land Forces with Strykers
The Washington National Guard transferred eight Stryker infantry fighting vehicles to the Bulgarian Land Forces, marking the first delivery of a 183‑vehicle modernization program approved by Bulgaria’s parliament in 2023. The hand‑over, coordinated through the Foreign Military Sales office, included...
US Munitions Arrive in Israel as Carrier Group Approaches
Is May 1, end of the ceasefire, going to be the date when Trump acts instead of settling new fallback dates? And ships in the Strait?
Somalia's Israel Ship Ban Threatens Bab Al-Mandeb Stability
Somalia. Ban on Israel ships. Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Ban or more pirate attacks? Global maritime is showing signs of upheaval.
BEML, EPHL Secure Indian Orders for Trawl Assembly Tank Equipment
The Indian Ministry of Defence awarded contracts worth roughly Rs 9.75 bn (about $104 m) to Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd (EPHL) for trawl‑assembly kits for T‑72 and T‑90 tanks. BEML’s portion is Rs 5.9 bn (≈$63 m) and EPHL’s is...
Avoid Costly Heat‑Treat Failures with Proven Practices
What is heat treating? Why do some parts fail? How can machinists and manufacturers avoid costly mistakes? Stream now: 🔗 https://t.co/9vEAAzKbfc 📽️ https://t.co/So0R3DfOyg 🔗 https://t.co/DmYp21NDA3 #Manufacturing #MachineShop #HeatTreating #SkilledTrades #QualityControl https://t.co/FarfWuXZhz
Indonesia's Strait Fee Sparks UNCLOS, Supply‑Chain Turmoil
Indonesia. Impose fee on ships going thru the Strait of Malacca. Learned money lesson from Iran. UNCLOS? Will there be military action to stop it? More maritime and supply chain hell.
The Strait Just Called His Bluff
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two container ships—MSC Francesca and Epaminondas—and disabled a third, the Euphoria, in the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. The incident directly contradicts recent U.S. statements that Iran’s navy has been destroyed,...
Ship Seizures Signal Iran’s Growing Control of Hormuz
Ship Seizures Mark New Phase in Iran’s De Facto Control of Hormuz. With extended ceasefire. The situation looks shaky. https://t.co/pThf20VEbW
Asian Shipowners Set to Cross Hormuz Ahead of Western Firms
Asian Shipowners to Cross Hormuz Before Western Firms, Executives Say. Fee? Maritime safety/security? Country affiliation and negotiating release. https://t.co/wDf0p1uk9P
Unitree's Supply‑chain Mastery Teaches US Robotics Competition
Sam is right about the importance of robotics for the US but Unitree offers a real lesson to US companies hoping to compete at the bleeding edge. It has risen thanks to a true mastery of China’s supply chain. https://t.co/JyNQZSycxJ
Sustainable Supply Chains: Plan Smarter, Waste Less, Move Efficiently
Earth Day: sustainability is built into the daily supply chain choices - plan smarter, waste less, move efficiently. #EarthDay #SupplyChain https://t.co/As8cZeuhSD
Mapping Hormuz Bypass Easy, Execution Far More Challenging
Bypassing Hormuz: “You can draw beautiful lines on the map. To try to make it happen in reality is something else.” @QamarEnergy @ColumbiaUEnergy @rfelliott https://t.co/JKNGbORqzA
EU Faces Costly, Complex Break From US Tech Dominance
With so much of #Europe’s technology provided by a few US tech giants, alongside “troves of sensitive data,” it won’t be easy or cheap for the #EU to wean itself off this digital dependency. Via @MathieuPollet_ & Anouk Schlung @POLITICOEurope https://t.co/WNaVH4mBtt
NX Group Acquires Metro Supply Chain for $1.3B
Congrats to Metro Supply Chain on their sale to NX GROUP. NX paid close to $1.3B (USD) to gain an extensive warehouse-based supply chain network focused on Canada and the US. Expect to see more cross border M&A in 2026! https://t.co/UzwMktsJzb
Premier's Puzzling Plan: Two New Ports North of Prince Rupert
Two ports *north* of Prince Rupert? Stewart is too small, so what is the Premier thinking here?
US Boarding Threatens Iran-China Oil Shadow Fleet
Secretive Shipments of Iranian Oil to China Are Under Threat by U.S.—Boarding of tanker raises risk for sanctions-evading ‘shadow fleet’ @austinramzy @RebeccaYFeng https://t.co/5rcMcxUf3Y https://t.co/5rcMcxUf3Y