Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Shipowners stay cautious despite US‑Iran Hormuz reopening deal
President Trump announced a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ending the naval blockade that had closed the oil conduit since late February. Shipowners, however, remain wary, pointing to 57 recorded security incidents and lingering mines, and are opting for lower‑risk routes until safety can be assured.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
U.S. Port of Hueneme Handles Higher Blueberry and Reefer Cargo Volumes
The Port of Hueneme expects a $3 million revenue boost in FY 2026 and total tonnage to rise to 2.32 million tons, up from 2.27 million in 2025. Refrigerated container traffic, especially bananas and Peruvian blueberries, is driving a 3 % increase in TEU volumes to roughly 265,000. The port, now the fifth‑largest U.S. refrigerated cargo hub, is launching a $250 million infrastructure program that includes deepening, hybrid‑electric cranes, expanded reefer plug capacity and rail enhancements. Growth is fueled by major fruit shippers such as Driscoll’s, Chiquita, Del Monte and Dole.
ONE Updates Europe Environment Surcharge
Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced that its Europe Environment Surcharge (EES) will expand to cover cargo moving to and from the United Kingdom starting July 1, 2026, aligning with the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). The EU Emissions Trading System entered full...
How Advanced Conveyance Is Reshaping Medical Manufacturing Automation
Advanced conveyance systems are transitioning from static, single‑task machines to modular, flexible platforms that support rapid product changeovers and higher speeds. Bosch Rexroth’s VarioFlow and TS series illustrate how curved belt designs and optimized motor‑to‑chain ratios reduce floor space while...
ANALYSIS: Asda and Ocado Join Forces — but Is It Enough for Either?
Ocado and Asda have struck a partnership in which Ocado will redesign Asda’s online storefront, in‑store picking and last‑mile delivery network across the UK. The deal gives Asda access to Ocado’s Smart Platform and lets it fulfil orders from third‑party...
Crimea Faces Gasoline Rationing After Ukrainian Drone Strikes
“Drivers in Russian-controlled Crimea were grappling with gasoline rationing on Monday after Ukrainian drone attacks constricted road supplies across south-eastern Ukraine, Reuters witnesses and officials said… Moscow-backed Crimea governor, Sergei Aksyonov, said limits had been imposed on sales of the most...
Disruption Triggers Rethink by RwandAir as Cargo Potential Grows in the Heart of Africa
Geopolitical turmoil in the Gulf has forced shippers to bypass traditional trade corridors, positioning Kigali as a new air‑cargo hub. RwandAir quickly rerouted time‑critical shipments and leveraged its central African location to capture additional freight, especially perishables and e‑commerce parcels....
Hormuz Shutdown Cuts 20% LNG, Hits Growth Markets
"Strait of Hormuz closure removed 20% of the world’s LNG supply leaving some importers desperately short. They won’t forget. Most-affected nations — think India, Bangladesh or Pakistan — are the price-sensitive markets the industry counts on as future consumers." https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-06-01/lng-prices-strait-of-hormuz-squeeze-could-give-way-to-a-glut
MIT Breakthrough Halves Hard‑rock Lithium Refining Costs, Promises Greener Battery Supply Chain
MIT scientists have demonstrated a low‑temperature, closed‑loop method to extract battery‑grade lithium from spodumene that could cut refining costs by roughly 50% and slash waste. The breakthrough could shift hard‑rock lithium production away from China and accelerate on‑shoring of critical...
China Tightens Rare‑Earth Export Rules, Deepening Western Supply Risks
China has escalated its rare‑earth export restrictions, cutting off heavy elements such as dysprosium and terbium to Western buyers. The move widens price differentials—$1,100/kg in Europe versus $270/kg in China for dysprosium—and forces the U.S. and EU to accelerate domestic...
New Chicago Logistics Hub Nods to City’s Industrial Past
Brookfield Properties is developing Western Works, a $104 million, 33‑acre logistics and manufacturing campus in Chicago’s historic Back of the Yards district. The project will deliver four speculative buildings totaling nearly 570,000 sq ft, with façades that echo the city’s industrial past through...
EngineAI Starts Mass Production of T800 Humanoid Robots at Shenzhen Plant
EngineAI Robotics has launched a 12,000‑square‑meter intelligent manufacturing base in Shenzhen, beginning mass production of its T800 full‑size humanoid robot. The facility can output a robot every 15 minutes, giving the company a 10,000‑unit delivery capability and signaling a shift...
My Freighter Names MF Cargo as GSA in Israel
My Freighter, the Uzbekistan‑based cargo airline, named MF Cargo as its general sales agent (GSA) in Israel, extending its sales, support and network‑development capabilities across Israel, Central Asia, Europe and China. The appointment follows a broader rollout of GSA services...
Why Data Readiness Determines AI Success
The article argues that AI success in procurement hinges on data readiness, emphasizing clean, structured, and connected data. It highlights the concept of decision traces and contextual intelligence as essential for AI to understand why decisions are made. Governance in...
PH Manufacturing Activity Rebounds in May
Philippine manufacturing rebounded in May as the S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 50.8 from 48.3 in April, signaling the first modest expansion in months. The uptick was driven by a resurgence in new orders and stronger domestic demand,...
The Economy Weighs Heavily on Hungarian Rail Freight: ‘Demand Decreased Dramatically’
Hungarian rail freight volumes dropped 11% in 2025, slipping below 10 billion tonne‑kilometres for the first time in a decade. Revenue rates rose only 2% while inflation ran at 6.7%, eroding real earnings. Unit costs climbed 11.8% despite layoffs, leaving operators...
Bonus Episode: Resilient Supply Chains for Robotics (ERF 2026)
In this bonus episode recorded at the European Robotics Forum, Karol Janik and Agata Suar of the UK’s Manufacturing Technology Centre discuss the urgent need to make Europe’s robotics supply chains more resilient. They trace the problem to recent disruptions—COVID‑19,...
One in Three Containers Shipped Today Is Empty, up From One in Four Before the Pandemic
One in three containers shipped today travels empty, up from one in four before the pandemic, according to Sea‑Intelligence. Empty‑container movements now account for 30% of global TEU‑miles, a 65% rise since Q1 2019, while full‑container volumes grew only 17%. The...
Interview with Christina Gomez-Terry of Plus One Robotics: Why Warehouse Robotics Succeeds or Fails at Scale
Plus One Robotics’ Vice President of Operations, Christina Gomez‑Terry, discussed why scaling warehouse robotics is harder than proving a pilot works. The company recently topped two billion lifetime picks, highlighting the importance of reliability, spare‑part logistics, and robust software‑hardware integration. Gomez‑Terry...
Sponsored: Eltete’s AirCargoRunners Deliver Savings for Finnair Cargo
Eltete TPM’s fibre‑based AirCargoRunners are now deployed by Finnair Cargo, replacing traditional wooden beams on aircraft pallets with lighter carton‑style units. The swap reduces pallet weight, delivering roughly 35 kg of fuel savings and 0.6 tonnes of CO₂ avoided on a typical...
France Manufacturing Contracts in May as Supply Chain Hit Intensifies
France's manufacturing sector slipped back into contraction in May, with the PMI registering 49.7 versus a preliminary 48.9 and down from April's 52.8. The decline was driven by weaker new orders, reduced production and inventory drawdowns as client stockpiling faded....
Italy May Manufacturing PMI 52.9 vs 51.9 Expected
Italy's May manufacturing PMI rose to 52.9, surpassing the 51.9 forecast and the prior 52.1 reading, indicating renewed expansion. The gain was driven by the strongest influx of new orders in over four years and a temporary surge in inventory...
Ports: Examining the Shift
Imports through the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach have continued to grow, but China’s share of container traffic fell from 61% in 2020 to 53.4% last year. Southeast Asian nations, led by Vietnam, have expanded...
France Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Tanker in Atlantic
France announced that its navy boarded the sanctioned Russian tanker Tagor about 400 nautical miles west of Brittany, acting with support from the United Kingdom and other allies. The vessel was found flying a false flag and had irregular documentation,...
Iran War Is Exposing South Africa’s Dependency On Diesel: What Went Wrong
South Africa’s economy is increasingly dependent on diesel, which now supplies roughly half of national fuel consumption. The Iran‑Gulf war has driven diesel prices up about 60% in Q2 2026, far outpacing the 25% rise in petrol, adding an estimated...
How Intelligent Delivery Is Turning Fulfilment Into a Competitive Edge
Retailers that treat delivery as a cost centre risk falling behind as AI‑driven expectations rise. ShipStation’s senior director Sophia Pope advocates “intelligent delivery”—using real‑time data and AI to turn fulfilment into a proactive growth engine. She argues that proactive visibility,...
Productivity Solutions: Betterware Cuts Shipping Costs with Smarter Packing
Betterware, a Mexico‑based direct‑to‑consumer home‑goods retailer, tackled rising shipping expenses by optimizing its packing process. The company deployed Paccurate, a real‑time cartonization platform that selects the optimal box size and arrangement for each order. Early rollout results showed the firm...
USG Supramax Market Evolving in Owners’ Favour
The US Gulf (USG) Supramax freight market saw a modest rebound in May, with spot tonnage supply remaining tight and strong demand for fronthaul grain shipments to Japan and petcoke cargoes to India. Spot rates for a Supramax lot of...
Toyota Tsusho Secures 20% Stake to Boost US Battery Supply
Toyota Tsusho acquired a 20% PPESNA stake to build a North American battery supply chain. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/06/toyota-tsusho-ppesna-stake-strengthens.html
The Biggest Challenges Facing Logistics Operators This Summer
Logistics operators are confronting a perfect storm of rising diesel prices, persistent labor shortages, extreme summer heat, and weather‑related disruptions. Fuel costs have jumped nearly 50% since February, prompting firms to boost load density by 19% to protect margins. Operators...
China’s Factory Activity Beats Forecasts in May, Private Survey Shows, Despite Softer Official Data
China’s private RatingDog manufacturing PMI rose to 51.8 in May, edging above the 51.6 forecast but slipping from April’s 52.2. The official PMI, covering a broader base, fell to 50 from 50.3, its weakest reading since February. While input prices...
Gotta Blame Somebody
The U.S. Supreme Court in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II LLC held that freight brokers can be liable for the safety violations of carriers they hire. The ruling focused on C.H. Robinson’s hiring of a carrier with a conditional safety...
China Pledges Base Commodity Support to Cambodia Amid Supply Pressures
China pledged supplies of oil, gas and fertilizer to Cambodia during a May 27 meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn. The pledge follows Beijing’s recent decision to lift its fertilizer export ban and issue urea quotas to...
Australia's Longest Road Trains Dwarf American Semi Trucks (But They'd Never Work In The US)
Australian road trains—up to 175 feet long and weighing 380,000 lb— dwarf the United States’ 70‑80‑foot, 80,000‑lb Class 8 semis. The article explains why such ultra‑long combos thrive in the sparsely populated Outback but would be impractical on America’s dense interstate network. It...
Iran’s $1‑2 Million Security Toll Cripples Hormuz Shipping, Sends Insurance Costs Soaring
Iran announced a $1‑2 million security fee for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz and declared the waterway closed on March 4, 2026. The move cut vessel traffic, drove up insurance costs and revived fears of a broader disruption to the world’s...
Build the First Donald J. Trump Maritime Prosperity Zone in Alaska
The White House’s Maritime Action Plan and FY2027 budget earmark billions of dollars to revive U.S. maritime capacity, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced the creation of the first Donald J. Trump Maritime Prosperity Zone (MPZ) in Alaska. The...
Drewry WCI Rises for Fourth Straight Week
The Drewry World Container Index rose for the fourth straight week, climbing 3% to $2,800 per 40‑foot container. Early peak‑season demand and cargo front‑loading ahead of the July 1 bunker surcharge adjustment drove the increase. Strong performance on Asia‑Europe and...
Emerging Houthi–Al-Shabaab Co-Operation and the Growing Threat to Red Sea Shipping
Intelligence from the UN and U.S. indicates that Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Somalia’s Al‑Shabaab are sharing drones, missiles and logistical support despite their sectarian differences. The exchange, first reported in 2024, expands Al‑Shabaab’s firepower and could push its operations beyond...
MISUMI Group Deploys $1 B to Launch MISUMI Americas, Boost AI‑Driven Manufacturing
MISUMI Group announced a $1 billion investment to create MISUMI Americas, integrating Fictiv’s AI‑powered digital manufacturing platform with its 60‑year legacy of precision components. The move, led by newly appointed U.S. CEO Dave Evans, aims to turn static supply chains into...
UPS, FedEx and USPS Rate Hikes Push DTC Brands to Rethink Carrier Mix
UPS’s 5.9% and FedEx’s 5.7% rate hikes, combined with a 9.3% USPS Ground Advantage increase, are forcing direct‑to‑consumer brands to overhaul their shipping strategies. Merchants are turning to dynamic carrier selection and regional carriers to protect thin margins.
Oman Warns of Suspected Floating Mine in Hormuz, Reinforcing Shipping Industry Fears
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre issued a navigation warning after a floating object, suspected to be a naval mine, was sighted near the Inshore Traffic Zone in the Strait of Hormuz. The alert underscores persistent mine threats that industry groups have...
'More Than Just A Work Vehicle:' Kia Has Big Plans For Its Commercial Vans
Kia unveiled its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) initiative, debuting the all‑electric PV5 van as the first model of a modular commercial‑vehicle family. The PBV platform is built from the ground up as an EV, offering a tight 18‑foot turning radius,...
U.S. Factories Depend on Foreign Gear, Hit by Steep Tariffs
"The equipment I need to put in that factory, it’s not made in America. We’ve got drum lines coming from New Zealand. We need some stuff from China. But the equipment I’m bringing over, we’re paying tariffs on it that...
Finepoint Capital Invests $10 M in RXO as Shares Surge 75% on Freight Recovery
Finepoint Capital LP bought 684,829 RXO shares for an estimated $10.05 million, pushing the logistics firm’s stock up 75% since late March. The move highlights investor belief that a supply‑driven freight upturn will boost RXO’s asset‑light brokerage model.
Iran‑Russia Conflict Drives Europe Toward U.S. LNG, Boosting Demand
The Iran‑Russia war has forced Europe to lean heavily on U.S. liquefied natural gas as Gulf routes close, sending U.S. LNG demand soaring. Russian pipeline deliveries have collapsed 87%, while European gas prices jumped 25% in a single day.
Amazon Launches Cargo Bike Deliveries in DC
Amazon has launched a 10‑month pilot in Washington, D.C., deploying up to 15 electric cargo bikes to handle last‑mile deliveries. The bikes are loaded at a micro‑hub in Southwest D.C. and will operate in bike lanes and loading zones, mirroring...
Firozabad Glass Industry Employs 1 Million, Generates $1 Billion Revenue
Up to 1 million people are employed directly or indirectly by Firozabad’s glassmaking industry, with about 200 companies generating more than $1bn in annual revenue and $200mn in exports, according to The All India Glass Manufacturers’ Federation. by @AndresSchipani...
Hormuz Strait Shutdown Lifts Container Freight Rates 16% as Carriers Pass $500M Monthly Fuel Hit
The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) global composite up 16% to 2,572 points, the highest since September 2024. Maersk says it is absorbing roughly $500 million in extra fuel costs each...
Russia's Spies Intensify Hunt for Western Tech as Sanctions Strain Wartime Economy
Russian intelligence agencies have stepped up efforts to steal Western defense and dual‑use technology, using fake firms, cyber‑spies and middlemen. Sanctions and a war‑driven economy, with a projected 2026 budget deficit of $52 billion, are driving the push, officials warned.
Indonesia Advances Export Control Plan Despite Uncertainty
Indonesia is moving forward with a plan to centralize exports of its key commodities, requiring producers to submit documentation to the newly created state‑owned firm PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia starting June 1. The move targets coal, palm oil and ferro‑alloy shipments...
Pulling Customs From ‘Sanctuary’ City Airports Would Cause Chaos, Business Groups Say
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has floated a plan to pull Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so‑called sanctuary cities, effectively barring international flights at hubs such as Boston, New York and Los Angeles. The proposal is presented as a...