Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Ningbo Ocean Shipping launches $390M fleet and container expansion
Ningbo Ocean Shipping's board approved a capital program exceeding $390 million to boost its fleet and container inventory. Up to $246 million will fund four 1,900‑TEU feeder vessels, while $145 million is earmarked for acquiring 64,500 TEU of new containers.
Also developing:
Distribution centers are racing to integrate new automation to meet soaring e‑commerce demand, prompting many to adopt computer simulations before committing capital. Amazon’s design engineering team, led by Abhineet Mittal, has pioneered a modular discrete‑event simulation method that breaks the warehouse into interchangeable components. This approach lets engineers test equipment swaps and workflow changes virtually, identifying bottlenecks at module interfaces without costly physical rework. The strategy also eases integration of multi‑vendor devices by modeling their data exchanges early.
Stratasys Direct has been chosen for the U.S. Department of War’s Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptability (JAMA) IV Pilot Parts Program, which aims to accelerate qualification and deployment of 3D‑printed components across military platforms. The initiative builds on Stratasys’ existing footprint...
In this episode Jeff Kralowitz talks with Argus senior reporter John Kordner about how the recent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have boosted Canadian heavy crude exports. With freight rates soaring, Canadian grades are now more competitive than Middle‑East...
The freight market recovery is underway. @CHRobinson is forecasting a 20% year-over-year increase in spot market dry van rates for Q1, and a 12% increase for the full year. Shippers should lock in rates, deepen relationships with their 3PLs, and...
The Iran war has disrupted a greater share of oil supplies than any previous shock. And this time, there is virtually no spare capacity available to make up the gap. @wsj
Sol‑Millennium Medical Inc. has launched a dedicated U.S. B2B e‑commerce platform, b2b.solm.com, allowing healthcare providers nationwide to purchase its safety‑engineered medical devices directly. The site streamlines registration, pricing visibility, and order placement for settings ranging from physician offices to veterinary...
Global trade compliance is shifting from a downstream checkpoint to an integral part of supply‑chain execution as enforcement tightens and sanctions screening expands. New regulations increase the risk of costly border delays, prompting firms to embed compliance directly into transaction...
The Iran‑Russia war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, forcing Central Asian exporters to abandon the Southern Corridor. Kazakhstan’s Trans‑Caspian “Middle Corridor” has surged from 0.8 million to 4.5 million tons between 2020 and 2024, growing over 60 % in 2024 alone. The...
Fluke Reliability highlighted the scale of unplanned downtime at its Xcelerate 26 conference, citing a Censuswide survey where 55% of U.S. manufacturers experienced outages costing up to $207 million weekly. The study revealed an average loss of $400 k per hour and as...
Iranian‑backed Houthi rebels launched a missile strike against Israel, prompting fears they could extend attacks to commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The threat revives concerns of a renewed blockade of this vital maritime corridor, already strained by Iran’s ongoing...
From 1 July 2026 the EU will scrap the €150 (≈ $165) de minimis exemption, imposing a €3 (≈ $3.30) duty on each imported item. The change targets low‑value parcels that have surged with cross‑border e‑commerce and aims to curb undervaluation. UK brands shipping directly...
Connected vehicle technology is evolving from isolated telemetry tools to a core component of real‑time transportation execution. By integrating telematics data directly into TMS, warehouse systems, and control towers, shippers can adjust routes, update delivery commitments, and coordinate inventory on...
Transportist’s April 2026 roundup flags a deepening energy crunch in Australia, where diesel shortages are already curbing grocery deliveries and waste collection, and fuel rationing debates resurface. In the United States, aviation faces staffing gaps at TSA and a LaGuardia...
The Transportist April 2026 briefing highlights a resurgence of fuel rationing talks in Australia as diesel shortages threaten grocery deliveries and waste collection. It also notes a spate of delivery‑robot mishaps in the United States and tightening e‑bike enforcement, with Seattle...
Czech infrastructure manager Správa železnic (SŽ) will host its first "Suppliers Day" on April 14 to unveil a new procurement framework that breaks large rail contracts into discipline‑specific tenders. The shift aims to lower entry barriers for foreign and smaller...
Port of New Orleans incorporated Louisiana International Terminal Holdings LLC as the operating entity for a new container terminal in St. Bernard Parish. The next‑generation facility is slated to generate roughly $33.3 million in annual tax revenue and add 4,339 jobs,...
India’s Union government has approved the New Mangalore Port Authority’s plan to redevelop berth 9 on a PPP DBFOT basis, with an estimated cost of ₹438.29 crore (≈ $53 million). The upgrade will raise the berth draft from 10.5 m to 14 m, with provisions for...
The Strait of Hormuz blockade, now in its second month, has halted the flow of roughly 21 million barrels of oil per day—about 20% of global consumption—and disrupted 30% of the world’s nitrogen‑based fertilizer trade, sending Brent crude sharply higher. British...
Fuel prices in Nigeria have surged 65% as the newly built 650,000‑bpd Dangote refinery failed to offset market pressures from costly crude imports and debt‑linked export obligations. In the UK, mortgage approvals rose to 62,584 in February, outpacing forecasts, while...
A surge in Middle East conflict has pushed European energy prices sharply higher, with the Dutch TTF natural‑gas benchmark jumping from about $33 to $74 per megawatt‑hour, a rise of over 60 percent. Because roughly half of paper‑mill energy in...
Neolix announced that its RoboVan-as-a-Service (RaaS) model has processed over 1.5 million on‑demand delivery orders and logged more than 40 million kilometers of autonomous driving across Chinese cities. In Qingdao, the company now runs one of the largest single‑city autonomous fleets, handling...
Uzbekistan‑based cargo carrier My Freighter has launched weekly Asia‑Europe services linking Hanoi, Bangkok and Almaty to Frankfurt via its Tashkent hub, with a direct Tashkent‑Frankfurt leg starting 29 March. The routes are operated with Boeing 767‑300 freighters, seven of which are passenger‑to‑freighter...
Consulting firms are being tapped to help fashion retailers overhaul sizing and supply‑chain strategies as GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs reach 23% of U.S. households. With 80% of users expecting new clothing and 55% already buying, the shift is upending traditional demand...
Avery Dennison’s new report shows that roughly two‑thirds of retailers still rely on manual inventory counts, driving record meat waste. The study estimates meat waste will cost retailers $94 billion this year and rise to $103 billion by 2030. In response, Avery...
The UK Treasury released a 2026 edition of its "Supply Estimates: a guidance manual," updating the original 2011 version. The revision incorporates current parliamentary practices, spending limits, and procedures agreed with Parliament and the National Audit Office, while removing outdated...
Shein is courting Australian fashion labels to join its Xcelerator program, a supply‑chain‑as‑a‑service platform that plugs brands into its AI‑driven manufacturing, logistics and e‑commerce network. The initiative, which already supports 20 brands worldwide and has generated more than $400 million in...
DHL Global Forwarding is boosting its Asia‑Europe capacity by launching weekly freighter flights from Shanghai to Leipzig and from Liège to Hong Kong, leveraging the DHL Express network. The routes will be operated with Boeing 777F aircraft and include a Tel Aviv stopover...
My new book, China's 90% Model, launched on 17th March. I want to share why I wrote it and why I believe leadership teams should read it together. For sixty years I have advised Fortune 500 CEOs and boards across the globe....
The US‑Iran conflict is beginning to ripple through India’s quick‑commerce, e‑commerce and logistics ecosystem, driving higher fuel, diesel and urea costs and causing truck delays in key states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Packaging inputs have surged, with plastics up...
European defense spending is set to surge, with roughly €600 billion (about $652 billion) earmarked for re‑armament. The influx of hardware orders has exposed an "execution gap"—outdated logistics, fragmented data, and slow supply‑chain processes that could waste a large share of the...
Dobbe Transport, a Dutch logistics firm with over a hundred trucks, has added a Mercedes‑Benz eActros 600 long‑haul electric truck to its Benelux fleet, joining an earlier eActros 300. The 6×2 flatbed offers roughly 500 km range and is slated to log about...
The Iran war has turned the olive‑oil supply chain into a geopolitical liability, adding fuel‑price pressure, a 15% EU tariff and Red Sea shipping disruptions. The United States, which imports over 95% of its 380,000‑ton annual consumption, faces higher freight...
Nova Chemicals announced the first commercial order of its Syndigo rPE‑IN3 recycled polyethylene, shipping roughly 200,000 pounds to Sigma Plastics in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The resin will be used in Sigma’s Sustain360 stretch‑film line for retailers and distribution centers, marking a milestone...
Modern warehouses operate 24/7, making any downtime costly. Siemens reports unplanned downtime in fast‑moving consumer goods averages $36,000 per hour and is rising. Neglected industrial cleaning—dust on conveyors, motors, and high‑level surfaces—can trigger equipment failures, fire hazards, and product contamination,...
The United States’ de‑facto oil blockade has triggered prolonged electricity blackouts across Cuba, crippling hospitals and forcing the Center of Molecular Immunology (CIM) to suspend eight of its ten active clinical trials. Supply shortages and a collapsed transport network are...
🚨US SHIPS TRAPPED🚨 Reminder for @POTUS @SecWar @SecDuffy @CENTCOM @centcomcdr @US5thFleet @CMF_Bahrain @DOTMARAD @FMC_gov @MSCSealift that 5 US-flagged ships and the crews remain in the Persian Gulf after the @USNavy and @USCG pulled out their forces before the start of...
Chattanooga began as the city where the river met the railroad and it has become a global leader in logistics. Diesel runs through Chattanooga's freight founders.
Orleans International has filed a new complaint with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission accusing Hapag‑Lloyd of imposing $3,600 per TEU detention and demurrage (D&D) charges during the pandemic‑driven port congestion. The importer alleges that Hapag‑Lloyd’s containers were stacked in a...
"A Build America, Buy America law is causing construction delays amid the US housing crisis" 😮 https://t.co/atUt3wR6gr "The waiver process has caused construction delays and hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra costs as the country faces an affordable housing...
Holding more inventory? 📦 Extra stock is smart, but don't trap your cash. SAP Business One keeps you lean. Blog: [link] Schedule a meeting with me: https://t.co/ZsEwnG4p2n $SAP #SAPBusinessOne #Inventory #ERP https://t.co/sN516o506O
“Focusing solely on financial measures belittles Procurement’s true value-add potential in any organization.” 🔗 https://t.co/52PhBYhUof #procurement #purchasing #supplychain https://t.co/M7y3jDsLwG
CH Robinson, the largest freight broker, ups their rate forecast to +12% this year. They also mention the incredible strength of flatbed trucking. According to SONAR, nearly half of all flatbed loads are being rejected by carriers. Source: FreightCaviar https://t.co/zBb6ZV8OkV
Despite the noise around the war, this is the most bullish setup we’ve had in the domestic freight market since COVID. The industrials are roaring back, as proven by the strength of flatbed trucking.
Seven charts that reveal how unprepared Australia was for the fuel crisis | Australian economy | The Guardian https://t.co/KDhNheGNvo
If you want to visit the Strait of Hormuz, you have to go out further than the water off Bandar Abbas. They are not even in the Strait. These are ships anchored in Iranian waters.
Straight of Hormuz Traffic over time. Vessel traffic dropped by Mid 300s in late Feb to 13 the last week. Just to give you a sense.... https://t.co/lVJpLM2VFe
China. Rare earth exports. What about the deal the US made? And the processing of them?
US Dollar's Advance Continues but Verbal Threats Lift the Yen: The Middle East war rages on. The Houthis have entered the fray and there is risk that it shuts the Bab El-Mandeb Strait. Aluminum and steel facilities have been reportedly...
