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
UBS Has Alarming News About Oil if the Strait of Hormuz Closes
UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo warned that a shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz could remove roughly 10 million barrels of crude per day from global markets, adding to an already 90% reduction in flow. The chokepoint normally carries about 20 million barrels daily, representing roughly one‑fifth of worldwide oil consumption. With tanker traffic rerouted and emergency reserves limited, price risk is skewed sharply upward. UBS expects sustained higher oil prices, which will cascade into higher fuel costs, logistics expenses, and portfolio re‑pricing.
Qantas Begins 1st-Ever Dedicated Freighter Service to Singapore
Qantas Freight launched its first dedicated freighter service to Singapore, operating twice weekly on a Sydney‑Shanghai‑Singapore‑Sydney rotation using an Airbus A330‑200 conversion with over 55 tons of payload. The new route expands capacity beyond existing passenger‑based cargo flights and addresses rising...
Surat Weavers Flag Margin Pressures as Yarn Prices Remain Elevated Despite Duty Relief
Surat's weaving sector is grappling with persistently high yarn prices despite the government's customs duty exemption on 40 petrochemical products. Weavers report that yarn costs have not corrected downward, squeezing margins and prompting many units to reduce shifts or shut...
IoT Asset Tracking: Technologies, Platforms and Industry Use Cases
IoT asset tracking has matured into a core capability that combines hardware tags, diverse connectivity options, and cloud analytics to provide real‑time visibility of physical assets. The market now supports multiple positioning technologies—GNSS, cellular IoT, LPWAN, Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, UWB, and...
Ace Hardware Expands Last Mile Through Partnership With Uber Eats
Uber Technologies and Ace Hardware have launched a partnership that adds more than 3,700 Ace stores across all 50 states to the Uber Eats platform. Starting today, consumers can order DIY and home‑improvement items through the Uber Eats app for...
Two Boxes Raises $3.2M to Scale AI Returns Platform
Two Boxes, an AI‑powered returns platform, secured $3.2 million in new financing led by Assembly Ventures, bringing its total capital to $13 million. The funding will accelerate product development and push the company deeper into enterprise retail, direct‑to‑consumer and B2B...
Is the Iran War Creating a Crewing Crisis?
Columbia Group CEO Mark O’Neil warns that the Iran‑related Gulf conflict is spawning a hidden crewing crisis, as rising repatriation costs and flight shortages hinder crew changes. The International Maritime Organization has called on 40 foreign ministers to help free...
DAT iQ ‘Signal’ Report Points to Rising Freight Rates, Shrinking Capacity, and Carrier Gains
The DAT iQ March Signal Report shows U.S. truckload markets tightening, with dry‑van spot rates up 21% YoY and temperature‑controlled rates up 13% in February. Positive New Rate Differentials across dry van (+4.2%), reefer (+3.9%) and flatbed (+5.4%) indicate carriers...
Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Stays Shut Ahead of Trump Deadline, Strikes on Iran Intensify
Oil prices jumped as the Strait of Hormuz remained closed, with Brent at $111.16 a barrel and U.S. WTI nearing $116, creating a rare WTI premium over Brent. President Trump gave Iran until midnight GMT to reopen the strait, threatening...
Liberia Ship Registry Demands Tougher Seafarer Checks
World’s Largest Ship Registry Calls for Stricter Seafarer Checks Amid Rising Sanctions Risk @LISCR_LLC: “The regulatory environment has changed, and the industry must adapt,” said Alfonso Castillero, CEO of the Liberian Registry. “We are setting a new standard for the industry...
Fontana: Is the Customer Always Worth Keeping?
Gino Fontana argues that not every client justifies continued service, urging logistics firms to scrutinize profitability and resource consumption. By applying the Pareto principle, companies can focus on the top 20% of customers that generate 80% of revenue while identifying...
In the Face of Tariffs, FDA-Approved Drug Manufacturing Deals Are Shifting to Europe
US contract‑manufacturing (CM) deals for FDA‑approved drugs fell sharply last year, marking the biggest decline in five years. Despite a 15% import tariff on European pharmaceuticals, biopharma firms are increasingly outsourcing US‑bound production to European facilities, especially in Germany. By...
Autonomous Driving Shifts From a Tech Story to a Business Story
Autonomous driving is transitioning from a technology showcase to a revenue‑driven business. In 2026, the focus is on paid passenger rides, contracted freight contracts, and the construction of production facilities. Waymo, Alphabet’s self‑driving unit, announced it has completed 500,000 paid...
Fraud Is Growing in the Gray Area
Investigators using The Bannon Report expanded their fraud database from roughly 1,400 entities in 2022 to over 93,000 by early 2026, revealing that most growth stems from mapping interconnected networks rather than new bad actors. About 37% of the entities...
Postal Service Can Proceed with 8% Parcel Surcharge, Regulator Says
The Postal Regulatory Commission approved the U.S. Postal Service’s request to impose an 8% temporary surcharge on parcel transportation, effective April 26 through Jan. 17, 2007. The surcharge is designed to offset rising fuel costs—up 38% in five weeks—and other...
Dynamic Conveyor Corporation Celebrates 35 Years of Innovative Conveyance Solutions
Dynamic Conveyor celebrates its 35th anniversary, marking three decades of modular conveyor innovation across packaging, food, and logistics sectors. Since its 1991 debut, the company has expanded its portfolio with products like Box Filling, DynaClean sanitary lines, Hybrid and DynaRoller...
Unilever-McCormick Deal Puts Supply Chain Execution at the Center
Unilever plans to merge its food division with McCormick, creating a global platform that combines Knorr, Hellmann’s and McCormick’s spice and condiment brands. The deal targets roughly $600 million in annual cost savings through tighter procurement, manufacturing and transportation execution. By...
Oil Outage Labelled ‘Biggest in History’ Sends Prices and Nerves Higher
Six million barrels per day have gone offline as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, creating the biggest oil outage in modern history. The shutdown has cut roughly 20% of global supply, pushing Brent to about $109 and WTI to...
Airfreight Rates Surge up to 95% on Capacity and Fuel Costs
International airfreight rates surged as much as 95% between February and March 2026, driven by sharp capacity cuts and soaring fuel costs linked to the Iran conflict. The most dramatic jumps were seen on the Shanghai‑Dubai lane, now costing $8.60...
Beyond GenAI: How Agentic AI Is Redefining the Human-Machine Relationship in Food Manufacturing
Agentic AI is emerging as autonomous digital co‑workers on food‑manufacturing shop floors, moving beyond generative AI tools. These agents can assess conditions, troubleshoot issues, and detect anomalies, boosting uptime and operational insight. Manufacturers are adopting a human‑in‑the‑loop model to keep...
Morocco Expands Airport Cold Storage for Fresh Produce Exports
Royal Air Maroc Cargo is expanding its cold‑storage footprint at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, adding a 590 m² warehouse with five temperature‑controlled chambers—three for imports and two for exports. The upgrade targets the growing demand for fresh‑produce, flower and pharmaceutical shipments...
Agronometrics in Charts: Strait of Hormuz Disruption Sends Fertilizer Prices Skyrocketing 30 Percent
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly half of global urea exports, driving fertilizer prices up about 30 percent in just weeks. The disruption also curtails sulfur shipments, tightening supplies for phosphate fertilizers and compounding the shortage....
Sysco Makes $29 Billion Deal to Acquire Restaurant Depot
Sysco Corp. agreed to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot for $29.1 billion, using $21 billion of new debt, $1 billion cash, and issuing roughly 19.1% of its shares. The deal adds more than 160 warehouses across 35 states to Sysco’s network, expanding its reach...
How The Iran War Is Reshaping Global AI Strategy
Iranian missile and drone attacks have begun targeting data centers in the Gulf, hitting Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE and Bahrain and an Oracle site in Dubai. The strikes expose a new class of strategic asset, prompting concerns...
Manufacturing Bounces Back in March Amid Price and War Woes
U.S. manufacturing activity expanded in March, with the ISM Manufacturing PMI climbing to 52.7, a modest 0.3‑point gain over February and marking the third straight month of growth. While the New Orders Index cooled, the Production Index accelerated, and the...
Continuing Consequences From the US-Iran Conflict
The US‑Iran conflict has forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, driving crude oil prices up 83% to over $110 a barrel and pushing U.S. gasoline to $4.79 per gallon. Higher energy costs are feeding persistent inflation, complicating the...
Postal Service, Amazon Reach Scaled-Back Delivery Deal
The U.S. Postal Service and Amazon have signed a scaled‑back agreement that cuts Amazon’s package volume to USPS by 20%, a smaller reduction than the two‑thirds cut previously reported. The deal still secures more parcels than the earlier Wall Street...
Iran ‘Does Not Forget Its Friends’ as Malaysia Ships Pass Hormuz Amid Selective Access
Iran allowed Malaysia‑linked tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s direct appeal to President Masoud Pezeshkian, freeing seven vessels that had been stranded. The decision signals Tehran’s shift toward a selective‑access model, where passage is...
Your Supply Chain Isn’t Just Boxes. It’s Personal Data Too
Southeast Asian e‑commerce firms are being urged to treat customer information as a core component of their supply chains, not just a by‑product of sales. The article highlights how personal data travels through websites, order‑management tools, logistics partners, payment processors...
Container Fleet Growth Cools, but Charter Market Remains Hot
Global container fleet growth slowed in Q1 2026, with net capacity increasing only 0.8% and total TEU up 6.1% year‑on‑year. While deliveries eased, orders surged to 150 vessels, pushing the orderbook to 39% of the existing fleet and shifting focus...
ICAP Rolls Out Dry FFA Desk
ICAP has launched a global dry forward freight agreement (FFA) desk spanning London, Copenhagen, Dubai and Singapore, providing 24‑hour coverage of the main freight trading hubs. The desk will handle capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize routes as well as time‑charter...
Box Ship Hit by Missile After First CMA CGM Vessel Escapes Hormuz
A container ship was hit by a missile 25 nautical miles off Iran’s Kish Island, prompting safety concerns but no environmental damage. CMA CGM’s 5,500‑teu vessel, the Kribi, became the first western boxship to successfully navigate the Strait of Hormuz...
When the Wells Run Dry: Al-Mawasi’s Displaced Face a Crisis Measured in Drops
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza’s al‑Mawasi camp has intensified after the nonprofit Eta stopped delivering clean water, leaving residents to spend up to five hours queuing for just two jerrycans of brackish water each day. Destruction of most water wells...
Challenge Acquires Two More 777‑300ERs for Freighter Conversions
Challenge Group announced the acquisition of two additional Boeing 777‑300ER aircraft to serve as feedstock for its passenger‑to‑freighter (P2F) conversion programme. The move supports the company’s ambition to operate a 20‑aircraft freighter fleet by the end of the decade. The...
Portland Selects CAF USA to Supply Battery-Equipped Trams
Portland has awarded a contract to CAF USA to deliver a fleet of battery‑equipped trams for its expanding streetcar system. The agreement covers up to 20 vehicles, each capable of operating on off‑grid power for up to 15 miles, facilitating...
Steel Tariffs: Saving One Key Industry Need Not Cause Pain for Another
The UK government has introduced steel import tariffs of up to 50%, coupled with a £70 million trade deal with Nigeria and a pledge to prioritize domestic steel in AI, energy and shipbuilding projects. These measures aim to revive a steel...
Ontario Fertilizer Supply Looks Stable but Logistics and Timing Could Be Challenging, Say Retailers
Ontario’s fertilizer market entered the 2026 planting season with a relatively comfortable supply outlook, though global nitrogen prices stay high. The province can only store a fraction of its annual need, so most product arrives just before peak demand, creating...
BioNTech to Shutter Singapore HQ After 'Comprehensive Review'
BioNTech announced it will close its Singapore headquarters, a manufacturing site it purchased from Novartis in 2020. The Tuas Biomedical Park facility, which employs roughly 200 staff, will be shuttered as part of a comprehensive operational review. The decision reflects...
Boost SPR Now to Hedge Future Conflict‑Driven Oil Spikes
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) Approximate capacity 714M barrels Current Status 415M barrels Just a thought, next time military actions might have consequences that may disrupt or otherwise cause the prices of Crude, fuel, gas to spike, you should increase the SPR...
AI Connects Supply‑Chain Data for Real‑Time Traceability
Supply chains generate continuous streams of operational data across production and compliance processes. AI links these signals along the product journey, enabling traceability and faster response when disruptions, regulatory checks, or trust issues appear. Microblog @antgrasso https://t.co/3hL4Zo8l2r
Anthropic Secures TPU Capacity, Signaling Compute Diversification
.@Anthropic inks deal with @Google, @Broadcom for TPU capacity https://t.co/FCwUyLMN3c >> Congrats. Compute restrictions are real and supplier diversity is critical. Inflection point for Google TPUs going beyond @GoogleCloud. #NextGenApps by @LDignan
IEA: Hormuz Blockade Crisis Exceeds All Past Oil Shocks
PARIS, April 7 (Reuters) - The current oil and gas crisis triggered by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is "more serious than the ones in 1973, 1979 and 2022 together", Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy...
US-to-Asia Oil Shipping Costs Hit Record Highs
The cost of shipping oil from the United States to Asia by sea is hitting record highs. https://t.co/c8BCdLPsi8
Global Trade Will Outgrow Reliance on Hormuz
The future of global trade won’t depend on the Strait of Hormuz via @FT https://t.co/Xiqe7HbQuN
Ethics and Leadership Reduce Gray‑Space Freight Brokerage
Read the latest edition of the Art of Supply newsletter: Shrinking 'Gray Space' Freight Brokerage with an Investment in Ethics & Leadership https://t.co/Ml7HPz24Bw https://t.co/Lu86wL4ERt
USPS Keeps 80% of Amazon Parcels, Amazon Eyes Own Network
USPS will retain around 80% of its Amazon parcels, however the ecommerce giant wants to use its own growing network. https://t.co/X2Jt1r4ZoL
Cheering the Clash of War and Soaring Freight Costs
Interesting to observe which people are cheering the overlap of bombs dropping and freight prices increasing.
Dark Shipping Boosts Hormuz Oil Flow to 12 Mb/D
Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is up. You don't see that in publicly available data like these from Bloomberg, because ships now transiting are travelling "dark." I'd say we're now at 12 mb/d out of the Persian...
China's Fuel Export Ban Threatens Australia's Jet Fuel Supply
Note that the Chinese readout doesn't mention energy security at all. Elephant in the room is China's fuel export ban. Australia imported a third of its jet fuel from China last year.
Outdated 2015 Procurement Strategy Stifles Margins and Speed
Margins are light, decisions take too long and competitors move first – but nothing looks broken. A 2015 procurement strategy is usually why. Here’s what’s happening. 👉 https://t.co/NRZ74HPI5G #Procurement #SupplyChain https://t.co/Gj3zdEqHrH