Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Strait of Hormuz status hinges on shipping firms amid US‑Iran tensions
The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran announced the waterway closed again within days, citing Israeli attacks and U.S. “bad faith.” U.S. Central Command reported that 55 merchant vessels carrying 17 million barrels of oil still transited the strait on Saturday, while the United States maintains a naval presence to guarantee flow.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Graphite One acquires Ohio site for EV battery anodes
Container Shipping Faces 3-Month Recovery as Strait of Hormuz Set to Reopen
The United States and Iran signed a 14‑point MoU that includes Iran’s commitment to allow commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, ending a blockade that has sidelined roughly 10% of global container capacity. Xenota warns that even under the best‑case scenario, full restoration of ocean supply‑chain networks won’t occur until mid‑September 2026, with spot rates expected to climb for at least another four weeks. The closure has slashed active services from 99 to 11, pushing spot freight rates up 25‑29% on key Asia‑U.S. lanes. Recovery will unfold in three phases, starting with feeder services before long‑haul routes resume.
Iraq to Ship Oil From Syrian Ports to Avoid Strait of Hormuz
Iraq announced plans to export crude and naphtha from Syria’s Mediterranean port of Baniyas, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz after the US‑Iran war disrupted its traditional Gulf corridor. Normally the country ships 3.4 million barrels per day through Basrah, but the...
Above the Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (June 19, 2026)
The latest supply‑chain roundup highlights a wave of geopolitical, regulatory and market shifts reshaping logistics. The EU Parliament cleared a transatlantic trade deal while Canada tightened its forced‑labour import ban, and the U.S. announced the Strait of Hormuz will reopen...
Up to £70 Million Investment in Essential Spares for UK Military Aircraft
The UK National Armaments Director Group has awarded Leonardo (UK) Ltd a £27 million (≈ $35 million) contract to supply consumable aircraft spares for the entire fixed‑wing and rotary‑wing fleet, with the potential to rise to £70 million (≈ $90 million) over seven years. The three‑year...
Volvo and AVI-SPL Launch Driverless Freight Operations on Texas Corridor
Volvo Autonomous Solutions and technology integrator AVI‑SPL have launched commercial driverless freight operations between Dallas and Houston using Volvo VNL trucks equipped with Aurora’s autonomous driving system. The service moves audio‑visual equipment, including new products and end‑of‑life units that are...
Burlington Opens Georgia Distribution Center as Store Growth Continues
Burlington Stores opened a nearly 2 million‑square‑foot distribution center in Ellabell, Georgia, adjacent to the Port of Savannah. The hub bolsters the retailer’s East‑Coast replenishment network as it targets 110 net new stores by the end of 2026, bringing its total...
SINTRONES Accelerates Factory Intelligence with Secure Edge AI Computing
SINTRONES Technology announced its latest edge AI platforms at Automate 2026 in Chicago, highlighting the ultra‑compact SBOX‑2625 and the AI‑powered ABOX‑5221. The SBOX‑2625 leverages Intel N‑series processors for low‑power, fanless operation in space‑constrained factories, while the ABOX‑5221 pairs 14th‑Gen Intel Core...
New Railway Blockade in the Netherlands: Train Drivers Stuck in Boiling Hot Locomotives
On 19 June, protesters blocked the Dutch Betuwe freight line, trapping several train drivers in locomotives as temperatures rose to 34 °C outside and 42 °C inside. ProRail cut power to the overhead lines, halting four‑to‑five freight trains and prompting safety concerns. RailGood’s...
Forwarders Face Profitability Test as Freight Markets Look Set to Stabilise
Freight forwarders are confronting a profitability test as markets stabilise, with elevated rates offset by heightened cost‑control pressures. First‑quarter results from DSV, CH Robinson, Kuehne+Nagel and Expeditors show earnings are driven by pricing discipline, productivity gains and cost‑reduction rather than favourable...
Regional Trade Boom Could Reshape Container Shipping for a ‘Golden Decade’
Braemar warns that a surge in regional trade agreements is reshaping container shipping, with 60% of global trade now tied to regional pacts. Growth is expected to concentrate on intra‑Asia, intra‑Africa and near‑shoring corridors such as Mexico‑US, reducing reliance on...
When Will Fuel Prices Drop? How Hormuz Deal Affects UK Drivers
An agreement between the United States and Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, allowing tanker traffic to resume and pushing Brent crude below $80 a barrel, down from a peak of $120. In the UK, wholesale fuel costs have...
Bulk-to-Boxship Conversion Spree for Chinese Carriers
Chinese shipowners are rapidly converting bulk carriers into container vessels to sidestep a three‑to‑four‑year new‑build backlog and capture a booming boxship charter market. Cosco is refitting two Diamond 53 Supramax ships into 2,500‑teu boxships, chartered to X‑Press Feeders for up to...
EU Could Impose Tariffs on Plug-In Hybrids From China
The European Commission is preparing countervailing tariffs on Chinese-built plug‑in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) that could be voted on in the coming weeks. Registrations of PHEVs in the EU jumped 28% to 364,067 in the first four months of the year,...
Bangladesh Opens Door to Private Air Cargo Operators in Logistics Push
Bangladesh’s 2024 budget will allow private air‑cargo operator stations near Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet airports, aiming to ease chronic congestion and delays in freight exports. The regulation permits both international logistics firms and domestic operators to invest in off‑airport clearance...
Rhenus Targets Middle Corridor Capacity with Uzbekistan Terminal Upgrade
German logistics firm Rhenus will modernise its Andijan site in Uzbekistan into a road‑rail intermodal terminal, investing about €11 million (≈$12 million). The upgrade, slated to start in July 2026, will add roughly 1,140 m of track and lift annual handling capacity to...
Kinaxis Strengthens India Play as Enterprises Adopt AI for Supply Chain Resilience
Kinaxis is deepening its foothold in India, where the country now accounts for roughly 23% of the firm’s global talent pool and a growing base of enterprise customers. The company is leveraging generative and agentic AI to compress planning cycles...
Indian Refiners in No Hurry to Return to West Asian Oil as Hormuz Reopens
India’s state‑run refiners have stocked enough crude for the next two months and are not rushing to resume long‑term purchases from West Asia despite the Strait of Hormuz reopening. In Q2, West Asian imports fell to their lowest since 2013...
Sea-Intelligence: Transpacific: Ripe for New Non-Alliance Services
Sea‑Intelligence examined the link between Asia‑North America West Coast container spot rates and the share of capacity run by non‑alliance carriers. Using a 4‑week rolling average, the study found an 83% correlation with a 15‑week lag between rate spikes and...
Ineos to Close Illinois Plant
Ineos Styrolution will permanently shut its Channahon, Illinois polystyrene plant by year‑end, affecting roughly 100 employees. The decision follows persistent margin pressure and industry oversupply that rendered the site economically unviable. Production will be consolidated to the remaining North American...
AI Procurement’s Pricing Problem: Why “Market Rate” Means Nothing Anymore
The post argues that legacy procurement software pricing—per‑seat licenses of $200K to $2M a year—was built for manual workflows that AI now automates. Vendors and CPOs debate whether AI‑native platforms can justify lower fees given enterprise‑level needs such as ERP...
FreightWaves Champions Chattanooga as the Nation's Freight Hub
FreightWaves has not only benefited from being located in Chattanooga, we’ve also had the opportunity to evangelize the city’s position as a leading freight capital to the entire industry. https://t.co/QFNluC9syY
Rockwell Automation Introduces FactoryTalk ResilientEdge to Enable Autonomous, Scalable Manufacturing Operations
Rockwell Automation announced the global launch of FactoryTalk ResilientEdge, a next‑generation execution architecture that merges edge computing with cloud analytics for autonomous manufacturing. The platform builds on FactoryTalk Optix and integrates with the Plex MES, delivering low‑latency, real‑time processing and AI‑ready data...
Video of the Week: The Supply Chain Crisis Reshaping Aviation’s Future
Supply chain disruption, initially a COVID‑19 side effect, has become a structural bottleneck for aviation. Delays in aircraft deliveries, engine shortages, component scarcities and labor constraints are curbing capacity growth even as passenger demand rebounds. Geopolitical tensions, inflation and sustainability...
US Tells ASML It’s Concerned China May Have Top Chip Tool
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned ASML that an advanced extreme‑ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system may have been shipped to China, potentially breaching export controls. ASML, the sole supplier of EUV machines used by TSMC, Nvidia and Apple, has historically been barred...
NOAA Warns Potentially Historic El Niño Could Renew Pressure on Panama Canal
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says a strengthening El Niño has a 63% chance of becoming very strong by the winter of 2026‑27, potentially triggering another drought at the Panama Canal. In response, the Panama Canal Authority lowered the maximum draft for...
Citi Sees Oil at $60-65 by Q1 2027 as Hormuz Flows Normalise
Citigroup projects crude oil prices to settle between $60 and $65 a barrel by the first quarter of 2027, assuming the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding restores normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The bank argues that the current war...
As China Looms, Taiwan Makes More Drones for Defense and the US Military
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has tabled a six‑year NT$6.6 billion (≈$210 million) budget to acquire more than 208,000 coastal attack drones, 1,400 reconnaissance drones and 1,320 uncrewed surface vessels by 2031. The plan would dramatically expand a force that currently fields...
Norfolk Aims to Be Preferred USEC Gateway with Deeper Port: CEO
Norfolk’s Virginia Port Authority completed a deepening project that now offers a 55‑foot channel, making it the deepest and widest East Coast gateway. The upgrade enables the port to accommodate ultra‑large container ships up to 18,000 TEU, positioning Norfolk as...
Imports Flow Into Port of Los Angeles with ‘Window of Stability’ Open
The Port of Los Angeles processed 840,165 TEUs in May, a 17% year‑over‑year gain, driven by a 26% surge in loaded imports. Executives describe the period as a "window of stability" as shippers accelerate cargo moves amid trade‑policy uncertainty, higher...
Iran Announces Plan to Charge Fees in Strait of Hormuz
Iran announced it will begin charging ships fees for transiting the Strait of Hormuz once a 60‑day negotiation period with the United States expires. The fees are described as payments for “services” even though no concrete services have been defined....
Strait of Hormuz Open; Southern Route Confirmed Mine‑Free
The latest JMIC Advisory. Key takeaways: ▶️The Strait of Hormuz is now open and the blockade operations have ceased. ▶️Active mine clearance operations are ongoing. Latest charts of likely mined areas are available on request and will be updated...
Accenture Says Acquisition Offers Tools to Help Manufacturers to Digitalize Operations
Accenture announced it will acquire Industries eXcellence Group (IndX), a Siemens‑focused digital‑thread integrator with more than 650 professionals across the US, Italy, India, Germany, and Mexico. IndX specializes in connecting engineering, manufacturing, and automation through product lifecycle management, digital twins,...
U.S. Commits $500M to Phoenix Tailings for Rare Earth Midstream Facility
The U.S. Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) is conditionally committing $500 million in long‑term debt to Phoenix Tailings for the Freedom Facility, a rare‑earth midstream processing plant slated for 2028. The financing is part of a broader $1 billion...
U.S. Officially Ends Maritime Blockade of Iran
The United States announced the official end of its maritime blockade of Iran, reopening the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping. CENTCOM said all enforcement operations have ceased, though U.S. naval forces will stay in the region to monitor compliance...
Port of Antwerp-Bruges Joins Pharma.Aero
The Port of Antwerp‑Bruges has joined Pharma.Aero, marking the organization’s first seaport member. This milestone expands Pharma.Aero’s traditionally air‑centric ecosystem to include maritime logistics, creating a truly multimodal platform for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and medical device transport. The Dutch‑Belgian hub brings...
Iran Deal Raises Serious Questions Over Future Management of the Strait of Hormuz
The United States and Iran signed a 14‑point memorandum that ends hostilities and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, but it also places Iran at the center of future maritime administration discussions. Article 5 obliges Iran to use its best efforts to...
BNSF’s BIG Milestone
BNSF Railway is committing more than $1.5 billion to build the Barstow International Gateway, a 4,500‑acre, Class 1‑operated rail and intermodal hub located about 130 miles east of the Los Angeles ports. The facility will transfer containers from ships to electric‑powered rail equipment, reassemble...
UPS Unveils New AI Tools for Tracking, Returns and Customer Service
UPS announced a suite of AI‑powered tools aimed at boosting package visibility, streamlining returns, and enhancing customer service. By the end of 2026 the company expects AI and human agents to resolve more than 98% of service requests, while RFID‑linked...
European Strait of Hormuz Force Inches Forward
President Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Evian on June 17 committing the United States and Iran to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days and guarantee free passage for a 60‑day negotiating window. An Anglo‑French‑led multinational...
Siemens and Xometry Partner to Expand AI-Based Supply Chain Intelligence
Siemens announced a strategic partnership with Xometry, backing the AI‑driven manufacturing marketplace with a $50 million minority investment. The deal embeds Xometry’s manufacturability, pricing, sourcing and lifecycle intelligence into Siemens’ Xcelerator platform, extending its supply‑chain‑intelligence from electronic components to custom mechanical...
Finland Buys More Smart Bombs for F-35 Fighter Jets
Finland’s defence minister authorized a supplemental purchase of Raytheon GBU‑53 Small Diameter Bomb II glide bombs to arm its upcoming F‑35A fleet. The new munitions, already part of the 2023 foreign‑military‑sales contract, add all‑weather, moving‑target capability and a 70‑mile (110‑km) range....
G7 Caps Critical Mineral Imports at 60% by 2030
G7 countries have agreed that no single country should supply more than 60% of their imports of critical minerals by 2030 in a effort to reduce their reliance on China Japan already there, after 15 years of real strategy and...
How the 14-Point U.S.-Iran MOU Could Reshape Global Supply Chains
U.S. and Iran are set to sign a 14‑point memorandum of understanding in Switzerland, pledging an immediate cease‑fire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a 60‑day window for a final nuclear deal. The accord lifts the U.S. naval...
Siemens Expands Accessibility to Software-Defined Automation with Simatic AX
Siemens announced new enhancements to its Simatic AX Logic Control Engineering platform, adding XLad, a ladder‑programming environment, and support for the Simatic S7‑1200 G2 controller. The graphical ladder tool integrates with Structured Text, enabling bidirectional editing and AI‑ready code. Integrated Git and CI/CD...
3D Printing Industry Announces Additive Manufacturing Advantage: Aerospace, Space and Defense 2026
3D Printing Industry will host Additive Manufacturing Advantage: Aerospace, Space and Defense 2026 on July 9, 2026, featuring speakers from NASA, RTX Pratt & Whitney, Safran, and other leading aerospace and defense firms. The online event will focus on qualification, certification, repeatability, advanced materials, and production scale‑up...
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. Releases CNC With Advanced Control Functions to Support High-Speed, High-Accuracy Machining
Mitsubishi Electric Automation has launched the M8V CNC Series, an upgrade to its long‑standing M80 platform, promising roughly 11% faster machining through optimal machine response‑contour control. The new series adds advanced functions such as cutting load control, tool‑point control, built‑in...
Energy Cliff, Supply Chain Shock: The Toxic Cocktail Behind The Urgent Push For An Iran Deal
The United States and Iran signed an interim peace memorandum that began normalizing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil conduit shut down by recent conflict. President Trump, after meeting oil executives, warned that strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs)...
Cassandra Gaines Unveils Trucking Industry Blueprint for Carrier Selection
Carrier Assure founder Cassandra Gaines released the CAVRA Standard, a 54‑page framework to help brokers, shippers and freight forwarders build a reasonable, defensible carrier‑selection process. Unveiled to over 800 industry professionals, the guide centers on four pillars—assessment, verification, risk and...
Imminent De Minimis Rule Change Adds Complexity for Retailers
Effective 1 July 2026 the EU will scrap the €150 (≈ $162) de minimis customs exemption and impose a flat €3 (≈ $3.24) tariff on each item in a parcel. The change targets ultra‑low‑cost imports from Chinese platforms such as Shein and Temu, but adds...
Flexport: New Tariff Wave Could Replace Expiring Trade Duties by Late July
Flexport warned that a new wave of U.S. tariffs could arrive before the existing Section 122 duties expire on July 24, keeping pressure on importers. The proposal includes a Section 301 forced‑labor tariff targeting 59 countries, with rates of 10% or...