Today's Supply Chain Pulse
U.S.-Iran Interim Deal Reopens Hormuz, Eases Oil Supply Strain
The United States and Iran signed an interim peace memorandum that normalizes traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, ending the naval blockade. President Trump warned that strategic petroleum reserves are draining fast, with Cushing, Oklahoma inventories just above 20 million barrels, the lowest level in years. The agreement also lifts Treasury waivers and releases roughly $24 billion in frozen assets.
Also developing:
By the numbers: USA Rare Earth secures $1.6B federal funding under CHIPS Act
Inside Khetika’s Bet To Build A ₹2,000 Cr Staples Brand
Khetika, a Mumbai‑based D2C food startup, is targeting a ₹2,000 Cr (≈ $241 million) clean‑label staples brand by rebuilding the supply chain around single‑origin sourcing, stone‑grinding, and preservative‑free packaging. The company reported FY25 revenue of ₹247 Cr (≈ $30 million) and projects ₹350 Cr (≈ $42 million) by fiscal‑end, backed by $25 million of investor funding. Operating seven facilities and offering over 70 SKUs, Khetika leverages its SuperZop B2B platform to deliver products to retailers within 48 hours. Its ambition includes scaling rapidly, achieving profitability, and eventually listing on the stock exchange.
Pan Ocean Adds VLCC Newbuild to Growing Tanker Play
South Korea’s Pan Ocean announced a $121.8 million order for a new VLCC, slated for delivery in December 2029, with the option to convert the vessel to run on ammonia. The deal follows earlier 2025 purchases of two VLCCs at roughly $127 million...
How Companies Can Stay Ahead Of Tariffs That Keep Changing
Tariff volatility has shifted from occasional adjustments to continuous, rapid changes, forcing companies to abandon 12‑month planning cycles. John Burhans of Mercury emphasizes that speed and full‑chain visibility are essential to identify SKU‑level exposure within hours. Effective scenario planning now...
Royal Air Maroc Cargo Expands Cold Storage Capacity at Casablanca Hub
Royal Air Maroc Cargo is expanding its temperature‑controlled facilities at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, adding a fifth cold chamber and raising total refrigerated space to 590 m². The upgrade introduces dedicated import and export chambers covering 2 °C‑8 °C, 15 °C‑25 °C, and frozen...
Hasbro Opens Distribution Hub to Cut Costs, Speed Deliveries
Hasbro has launched a 600,000‑square‑foot distribution center in Midway, Georgia, operated by GXO, to streamline its U.S. logistics network. The new hub consolidates five distribution nodes down to three, supporting both brick‑and‑mortar retailers and direct‑to‑consumer sales. Hasbro projects roughly $8 million...
New TT Club Cargo Theft Report Shows Escalating Cargo Crime Across Benelux
TT Club, BSI Consulting and TVM released the 2026 Freight Crime Report, highlighting a sharp rise in cargo theft across the Benelux region, home to Europe’s busiest ports. Criminals are deploying AI‑generated credentials, deep‑fake identities and fake‑carrier fraud to infiltrate...
MTF Issues Safety Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Ships
The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) released safety guidelines for ships equipped with wind‑assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) such as rotor, suction and wing sails. The recommendations focus on integrating these technologies into existing Safety Management Systems, emphasizing risk assessments, incident reporting,...
DHL Supply Chain Appointed by Air France to Deliver Ground Handling Services at London Gatwick
DHL Supply Chain has secured a contract to provide full ground handling services at London Gatwick for Air France‑KLM. The agreement coincides with Air France’s launch of two daily Airbus A220 flights between Gatwick and Paris‑Charles de Gaulle, targeting both...
Rising Fuel Costs Intensify Pressure on Fragile European Road Freight Market
European road freight operators are feeling a sharp rise in fuel costs tied to the Middle East conflict, which now represents up to 30% of their operating expenses. The International Road Transport Union warns this is a structural shift, not...
Huawei Joins Orange Carbon Cutting Scheme
Huawei became the tenth company to join Orange’s Partners to Net Zero Carbon programme, which aims to cut the operator’s greenhouse‑gas emissions by 45% from 2020 levels by 2030. The initiative focuses on supply‑chain improvements, targeting Orange’s 40 most emission‑intensive...
Tariff Turmoil: Refunds, Lawsuits and New Duties Ahead
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give the president authority to impose tariffs, invalidating duties on imports from China, Canada, Mexico and dozens of other nations. The decision opens roughly $166 billion in...
Iran's Parliament Security Committee Approves Plan to Impose Tolls on Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Parliament Security Committee approved a Strait of Hormuz Management Plan that introduces a rial‑based toll system for vessels transiting the vital waterway. The plan explicitly bans American and Israeli ships and targets nations imposing unilateral sanctions on Tehran. It...
Risky Business: Inside the Freight Fraud Surge
Freight fraud and cargo theft are accelerating, with organized theft rising over 1,500% since 2021 and annual losses projected at $35 billion. The 2025 TIA report shows truckload freight as the most targeted mode, and unlawful brokerage is the most common...
Trump's Trade Shock Spurs Global Free‑Trade Alliances
I presented my forthcoming eBook, World War Trade, in Paris last week. Here is the first coverage i've seen 💪 ✍️Guillaume de Calignon @gcalignon « Le choc douanier de Donald Trump pousse le reste du monde à se rapprocher .... les pays...
Russian Urals Premium in Asia up, but Costs, Attacks Weigh
Russian Urals crude premiums in Asia climbed to about $8 per barrel versus Brent, up from $5 a week earlier. However, Ukrainian drone attacks have forced the closure of roughly 40% of Russia’s oil‑export capacity, including the 700,000‑bpd Ust‑Luga port....
Kangnam to Build New Incat Crowther 80m Vessel Design
South Korean shipbuilder Kangnam has hired Incat Crowther to design an 80‑metre high‑speed catamaran RoPax ferry for Korea Express Ferry. The vessel will link Incheon with the Yellow Sea islands of Daecheongdo, Baengnyeongdo and Socheongdo, carrying up to 572 passengers,...
Tekmar Bags €2+ Million in Contracts for Japanese Offshore Wind Project
Tekmar Group has secured two contracts worth roughly $2.5 million for a Japanese offshore wind project, supplying its 10th‑generation cable protection systems. The work will begin immediately, with revenue recognized through the rest of fiscal 2026 and into the first half...
Nanya Raises $2.5 Bln, Signs DRAM Supply Deals with Kioxia and SanDisk
Nanya Technology raised roughly $2.5 billion via share sales and private placements to expand its DRAM production capacity. Kioxia invested T$15.6 billion for a 2 % equity stake and a long‑term DRAM supply agreement, while SanDisk committed T$31 billion and signed a multi‑year supply...
Challenge’s First 777-300 Freighter Conversion Adds Valuable Capacity
Challenge Group has placed its first Boeing 777‑300 passenger‑to‑freighter (P2F) conversion, 9H‑CAZ, into service after an IAI‑led retrofit completed in January. The aircraft adds roughly 100 tonnes of payload capacity, expanding the carrier’s ability to move pharma, live animals, oversized and...
Iran-Israel-U.S. War Cripples Energy Supply Chain, Gasoline Hits $4/Gal
The joint Iran-Israel-U.S. war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, sent Brent crude to $115 a barrel and U.S. gasoline above $4 per gallon, and triggered jet‑fuel shortages in Europe. Disruptions to oil, helium and plastics are rippling through logistics,...
China's Manufacturing PMI Hits 50.4 in March, Ending Two‑Month Contraction
China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index climbed to 50.4 in March, up from 49.0 in February, signalling the first expansionary reading in two months. The rebound, driven by faster resumption of work after the Spring Festival and stronger new‑order demand,...
Judge Halts Pentagon's Attempt to Label Anthropic a Supply‑Chain Risk
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction that stops the Department of Defense from branding AI startup Anthropic a supply‑chain risk, a move the court said appears to be classic First Amendment retaliation. The ruling curtails a Trump‑era directive...
Airfreight Rates Heading Back to Peak-Season Levels
Airfreight rates are climbing back toward peak‑season levels as the Middle‑East conflict and soaring jet‑fuel costs tighten the cargo market. The Baltic Air Freight Index rose 9.3% week‑on‑week and is 10% higher than a year ago, while jet‑fuel prices have...
US Bunker‑buster Strikes Hit Iranian Nuclear Site as Drone Hits Oil Tanker, Crude Prices Jump
The United States launched 2,000‑pound bunker‑buster bombs on an Isfahan ammunition depot linked to Iran’s enriched uranium program, while an Iranian drone struck the Kuwaiti‑owned Al Salmi tanker carrying 2 million barrels of oil near the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose...
Get Ready for a Crisis in Food Prices and Insecurity
The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran is sharply disrupting both oil and fertilizer supplies. Crude prices have jumped more than 50% while fertilizer costs have risen 30‑40% as a third of global trade passes through the...
Chancerygate and Bridges Complete €40m Dublin Logistics Development
Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management have finished the Airport Trade Park, a €40 million (≈$43 million) grade‑A urban logistics complex on a five‑acre site near Dublin Airport. The 120,260 sq ft development comprises 13 units, with three pre‑let totaling 31,200 sq ft to firms such as Imprint...
Why China’s New Humanoid Robot Standards Could Change the Industry
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released its first national standard system for humanoid robots in February 2026, aiming to unify safety, technical, and ethical requirements. The framework, developed by a 120‑member committee, addresses hardware integrity, predictable software behavior,...
Road Freight Is the only Mode of Transport that Grew in the Past Decade
Eurostat’s latest report shows that between 2014 and 2024 road freight was the only transport mode to increase its share in the EU, growing 3.3% to exceed a quarter of all goods moved. Maritime’s share fell 2.5% yet remains dominant...
Pandora Opens Distribution Centre in Canada to Reduce US Tariff Impact
Pandora has opened a new distribution centre in Mississauga, Ontario to process Canadian online orders locally, reducing reliance on U.S. facilities and exposure to higher tariffs. The move follows President Trump’s increase of import duties on Thai‑made jewellery, which Pandora...
Boeing Ramps 737 MAX; Supplier Discipline Drives Recovery
Boeing’s 737 MAX output ramp is accelerating, but supplier discipline now defines the next phase of recovery. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/boeing-737-max-output-ramp-signals-new.html
From Belt and Road to Belt Tightening: China's Neighbours Get Cold Shoulder on Energy
China has imposed broad bans on fertilizer and fuel exports, citing domestic energy security concerns, while refusing to acknowledge the restrictions publicly. Southeast Asian nations—including Bangladesh, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Australia—are pressing Beijing to honor existing contracts and keep...
Impact of Energy Disruptions on Agri-Food Supply Chains
A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has sparked a global oil supply shock that reverberates through agricultural and food supply chains in India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Using the hypothetical extraction method and Asian Development Bank input‑output tables, researchers...
From Soil to Strategy: Inside The Transformation Shaping the Future of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
In this episode of All Business No Boundaries, Scott's Miracle‑Gro’s new heads of transformation, Logan Poter and David, discuss the company’s sweeping supply‑chain overhaul, including a migration to SAP S/4HANA cloud and a rapid network redesign that shrank its distribution...
Strait Talk: Crisis in the Gulf
In this episode Tom Reid of Argus discusses the escalating Hormuz crisis with Dubai‑based colleagues Nada Itayim and Bashar al‑Halabi. They examine the U.S. deployment of the USS Tripoli, the strategic importance of Iran’s Kharg Island as a major oil export...
Securing Asean’s Food Resilience Amid the Middle East Conflict
The ongoing Middle East conflict threatens ASEAN’s food security by jeopardizing both fertilizer imports and the LNG supplies that power nitrogen‑based fertilizers. ASEAN relies on 82% of its fertilizer imports from outside the region, with Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar especially...
Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Reports 2% Profit Increase
Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation posted a modest profit rise in 2025, with total operating revenue reaching RMB 23.89 billion ($3.45 billion), up 2.7% year‑on‑year, and net profit climbing 2.1% to RMB 5.36 billion (about $774 million). The company highlighted the cyclical flexibility of international oil transport...
Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG Plant Remains Offline Due to Cyclone Damage
Chevron announced that its Wheatstone LNG plant in Western Australia suffered extensive damage from Tropical Cyclone Narelle, forcing both of its 8.9‑million‑ton‑a‑year processing trains offline. The damage includes fin‑fan arrays and air‑cooled heat exchangers, making repairs complex and time‑consuming. Chevron...
Helium Shortage Threatens AI Chip Production Amid Conflict
The AI boom is running into an unexpected constraint. The Iran conflict is disrupting helium supply from Qatar, a key input in semiconductor manufacturing for AI systems. As availability tightens, costs rise and production becomes more fragile. It is a reminder that...
Russian Oil Tanker Arrives at Cuba’s Matanzas Port
MATANZAS, Cuba, March 31 (Reuters) - A Russia-flagged tanker carrying some 700,000 barrels of Russian oil arrived in the anchorage area of the Cuban port of Matanzas at daybreak Tuesday, according to a Reuters witness.
What Vanguard’s ‘Surrender’ Means for T&L Boardrooms, BlackRock & State Street
Vanguard filed Schedule 13G/A amendments showing it holds 0% of CH Robinson, Expeditors and Forward Air, effectively surrendering its voting rights in these transportation‑and‑logistics (T&L) companies. The move is not a market sell‑off but a compliance‑driven relinquishment of influence under...
Neglecting Supplier Management Undermines Cost‑Effective Procurement
“Supplier Performance & Relationship Mgmt. (SPRM) is an integral part of the #procurement spectrum. But sadly, it’s one that many orgs. ignore. Managing suppliers proactively ensures the supply base is more effective & cost-efficient.” 📌 https://t.co/gy1EdLmJwM #purchasing https://t.co/iR45lxuJrG
Support Intervention to Safeguard Haulage Industry
I agree. But I do think there is a case for intervention to protect haulage.
Southeast Asia Braces for Fertilizer Shortages as Prices Spike on Iran War
Southeast Asian nations are confronting looming fertilizer shortages as global prices have surged sharply following the outbreak of war in Iran. The region relies on more than three‑quarters of its nitrogen‑based fertilizers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, making it...
China Climbs Value Chain yet Still Dominates Low‑end Markets
One thing that's really impressive is China moving up the manufacturing value chain, while still absolutely dominating the low end. As @Camrjohnson has pointed out (and industry data confirms), China still absolutely dominates in areas like Christmas ornaments.
Heathrow Faces Europe's Biggest Jet‑fuel Shortage Risk
Excl: Britain’s hub London Heathrow is the *highest-risk* major airport in Europe for jet fuel from April 🚨 as US-Israel war on Iran continues - Heathrow, with 1,300 flights daily, will struggle ‘the most, & the earliest’ with jet fuel as...
The Optimization Era Is Finally Beginning!
The EU’s new IAA origin and low‑carbon rules have effectively ended the era of simple, global supply‑chain optimization, ushering in a more complex optimization landscape. Multinationals now must comply with three competing regimes – the US CHIPS Act, EU IAA...
Chinese Firms Shift to Vietnam, yet Overall Impact Remains Modest
This is a very interesting piece on Chinese companies moving production to Vietnam. In some sense it's happening at major scale. But also in some other sense, it's very minor, with very little of the TVA leaving China. https://t.co/ZixLeXz4nC https://t.co/BnujaABZ5M
China’s Logistics Factory Operates Mostly with Robots
#Robots Run the Show in China’s Almost Unmanned #Logistics Factory by @Natie2Natie #Robotics #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/BtfY58zCWx
Credit Is Now a Primary Growth Lever: Flipkart Wholesale on the Future of B2B Commerce
Flipkart Wholesale says credit has shifted from a peripheral service to the primary growth lever for India’s kirana stores. The company highlights three concurrent trends—localized supply chains, range‑driven buying, and deeper credit penetration—fueling higher ticket sizes and repeat orders. GST...
Iran Sets Hormuz Toll, Bans US, Israeli Vessels
Iran’s parliament approved a formal toll and access regime for the Strait of Hormuz but bars vessels linked to the US, Israel and countries that have imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran from passage. https://t.co/c28zaLYYtE