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
GOOD GOOD Partners with 3PL to Support UK Growth with Multi-Channel Fulfilment
GOOD GOOD, the health‑focused food brand, has signed a three‑year partnership with UK third‑party logistics provider 3PL to handle multi‑channel fulfillment across direct‑to‑consumer, Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime, and wholesale distribution to Holland & Barrett. The deal leverages 3PL’s Flex service and its Fusion platform, offering real‑time inventory visibility, ISO 9001 and FHDDS‑certified warehousing, and six‑day Amazon delivery. This collaboration aims to streamline operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and support GOOD GOOD’s aggressive expansion in the UK market.
Report: 65% of Pharma Supply Chain Leaders Have Limited Confidence in AI
A new WBR Insights LogiPharma Playbook surveyed 100 European pharma supply‑chain heads and found that while AI is being piloted, confidence remains low. Sixty‑five percent of leaders doubt AI can reliably predict or mitigate disruptions, and only 36% have moved...
India's LPG Shortage Threatens Households Amid Hormuz Closure
India’s LPG crisis following closure of the Strait of Hormuz The war between the United States and Iran and closure of Strait of Hormuz has become a critical threat to the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) India relies on for...
Attabotics Launches Metal ASRS Bin to Mitigate Fire Risk
Attabotics introduced the Guardian bin, a metal‑based storage container designed to lower fire risk in automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS). The bin replaces combustible plastic with galvanized steel, contains leaked liquids, and improves fire‑suppression fluid distribution. Its flat‑pack design...
Canadian Auto Production Fell in 2025 as Tariffs and Other Uncertainty Took a Bite
Canadian auto production slipped another 7% in 2025, falling to 1.2 million vehicles, marking a second consecutive year of decline. The drop is largely attributed to the United States’ 25% tariffs imposed in March and lingering uncertainty around the electric‑vehicle transition....
Evri Fulfilment Invest £4m to Expand Network in Barnsley
Evri Fulfilment is investing over £4 million (≈$5.1 million) to open a 265,000‑square‑foot fulfillment centre in Barnsley, slated for July 2026. The site will feature advanced sorting and packing automation, allowing parcels to move from order to network entry within an hour...
AI Becomes Essential for Energy Security and Resilience
The Strait of Hormuz closure is a stress test for every system dependent on it including AI. Data centers run on uninterrupted power. When energy fractures, so does the digital economy. But AI is also one of our most powerful tools to...
Ukraine's Strikes Cut 40% of Russia's Oil Exports
Ukraine struck another Russian export terminal today. Reuters calculates that 40% of Russian oil export capacity is currently offline. Ukrainian sanctions at work.
STB Aims to Reform Rail Permitting
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to overhaul its rail permitting process, aiming to eliminate unnecessary environmental reviews and shorten approval timelines. The proposal introduces categorical exclusions for connecting tracks on existing rights‑of‑way and limits...
Maersk Warns of Prolonged Hormuz Shutdown as Shipping Costs Surge
Maersk warned that the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed to commercial traffic, forcing a reshaping of its global shipping network. The carrier announced an Emergency Bunker Surcharge and a Hormuz Freight surcharge to cover higher fuel and rerouting costs....
Italian Looks to Receive LNG From Algeria, Strengthen Energy Cooperation
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced plans to deepen energy cooperation with Algeria during a visit to Algiers, aiming to increase LNG supplies to Italy. The move comes as Italy grapples with prolonged disruptions in Qatar LNG deliveries, which previously...
Storms Damage Trains Across NW England
Severe gusts on March 25 knocked down trees and damaged overhead line equipment along the West Coast Main Line and surrounding routes in North West England and the Midlands. The disruption stranded multiple passenger trains, forced cancellations, and caused delays...
Inside Beijing's Strategy: The Trump-Xi Summit, Taiwan & the Tech War with Chris Johnson
The latest episode of Intel at the Edge features former CIA China analyst Chris Johnson dissecting the Trump‑Xi summit and Beijing’s evolving tech strategy. Johnson highlights how past rare‑earth disputes have reshaped China’s playbook, Xi’s drive for tech sovereignty, and...
Inmarsat Maritime’s NexusWave Wins Award for Maritime Mobility Innovation at MSUA 2026 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards
Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, won the Maritime Mobility Innovation award at the MSUA 2026 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards for its fully managed bonded connectivity service, NexusWave. The solution aggregates multiple satellite links to deliver up to 340 Mbps downlink and...
Amtech Launches Sourcing Program to Combat Supply Chain Vulnerability
Amtech Electrocircuits has introduced a Multi‑Path Sourcing Initiative to help original equipment manufacturers reduce reliance on single suppliers. The program maps bill‑of‑materials vulnerabilities, validates alternative vendors, and implements continuous monitoring across regions. It targets high‑risk sectors such as medical devices,...
Somali Pirates Hijack Iranian Dhow and Could Be Targeting Ships Warns MSCIO
Somali pirate groups hijacked the Iranian-registered dhow Al Waseemi 786 about 400 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, likely converting it into a mothership to mask their activities. The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) warned that pirates are now operating up...
Wizz Air Starts Phases Out of Airbus A321ceo
Wizz Air has started retiring its Airbus A321ceo fleet, beginning with the 2016‑delivered aircraft, and plans to phase out all 41 units by March 2029. The carrier is replacing the older jets with higher‑capacity, fuel‑efficient A321neo models, keeping its average...
Truck Spot Rates Stable; Fuel Adjustments Skew Perception
Trucking spot rates are not down, despite the data in the Bloomberg terminal suggesting that is the case. Traders are looking at a calculated linehaul rate, which takes gross (what brokers pay to carriers) and then subtracts fuel on a predetermined...
Invent.ai Secures Dual Gartner Vendor Spotlights for Retail Forecasting
Invent.ai has been named a Representative Vendor in two Gartner 2026 Market Guides—one for short‑life‑cycle products and another for long‑life‑cycle products—validating its AI‑driven inventory optimization platform. The recognition underscores growing retailer demand for continuous, data‑rich planning across the supply chain.
MP Materials Announces $1.25 Billion U.S. Rare‑Earth Magnet Campus
MP Materials said it will invest $1.25 billion to develop a rare‑earth magnet manufacturing campus in the United States, a move intended to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
CFTC Probes Sudden Oil Futures Surge Ahead of Trump's Iran Remarks, Citing Insider‑trading Risk
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened a formal inquiry after a sudden, undisclosed spike in oil futures trading volume occurred minutes before President Donald Trump's televised statement on Iran. The probe comes as the Middle‑East conflict squeezes supply, with...
Iran‑Israel War Pushes Oil Over $100, Slams Emerging‑Market Stocks and Currencies
The renewed Iran‑Israel conflict has driven Brent crude above $100 a barrel, igniting inflation concerns in oil‑importing emerging economies. The price spike has knocked Asian equity indices and currencies lower while also tightening global gas markets.
Southeast Asia: The Next Economic Powerhouse?
Jack Ma, Alibaba founder, says Southeast Asia will eclipse China as the next global economic powerhouse. He cites China’s aging population, regulatory crackdowns, and real‑estate woes, contrasted with the region’s 680 million‑strong, youthful workforce and multilingual talent. Singapore serves as a...
![[Episode #272] – Global Energy Crisis 2026](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://cdn.xenetwork.org/ets/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/powerpress/ETS-PodcastArtwork-full.png)
[Episode #272] – Global Energy Crisis 2026
In this episode, host Chris Nelder and oil market analyst Rory Johnson dissect the unfolding global energy crisis triggered by the U.S.-Israel bombing of Iran, which has crippled Persian Gulf oil and gas exports. They compare the current shock to...
How Lumi AI Helps CPGs Find ‘Multi-Million-Dollar Opportunities’ Hidden in Their Supply Chain Data
Lumi AI, founded in 2023, offers a natural‑language interface that plugs into ERP systems like SAP and Oracle, letting CPG and food‑retail teams query supply‑chain data instantly. The startup has secured $3.7 million in seed funding and counts Kroger, Growmark and...
Umoe Starts Large-Scale Type 4 Cylinder Production in China, First Global H2 Project Deliveries
Umoe Advanced Composites has launched industrial‑scale production of Type 4 composite cylinders at its new 12,000‑sqm Jiaxing plant in China, the company’s largest global manufacturing base. The facility can produce up to 20,000 cylinders a year, effectively tripling UAC’s worldwide capacity...
D&L Sees Potential Supply Challenges as War Drags On
D&L Industries, the Philippines’ largest oleochemical and specialty plastics producer, warned that the ongoing Middle East war is creating supply‑access challenges as crude‑oil prices and raw‑material costs surge. CEO Alvin Lao said 2026 brings new uncertainties, with many suppliers invoking...
Private Ownership Gives Freight Edge Through Culture, Tech
Private ownership can be an edge in freight. On Talking Transports, I speak with Jarrett CEO Mike Jarrett about staying debt-free, focusing on culture, navigating market volatility & why tech supports — not replaces — relationships. 🎧 Listen to Episode 131...
Y Combinator-Backed Mandel AI Raises $3.9M to Automate Global Supply Chains
Mandel AI, a Y Combinator‑backed startup, secured $3.9 million in seed funding to launch an AI‑driven supply‑chain coordinator. The platform sits atop existing email and ERP systems, using specialized agents to read supplier messages, reconcile purchase orders and invoices, and act...
Russia's Oil Exports Plunge 40% After Drone Attacks
Cool, cool, cool... "At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity is at a halt following Ukrainian drone attacks, a disputed attack on a major pipeline and the seizure of tankers ... the most severe oil supply disruption in the modern...
Export Controls Must Prioritize Cost‑Benefit Over Honor System
#ChipSecurityActWatch America’s Export Controls Shouldn’t Run on the Honor System No, but it should run based on clear cost benefit analysis and with minimal impact on industry and supply chains. A short thread 🧵 https://t.co/KArD3li5Ly
Meet the Canadian E-Bike Maker Who Is Redefining the Factory Floor
Toronto‑based Beachman Motor Co. assembles all‑electric, retro‑styled motorcycles using mostly Chinese‑made components, employing about a dozen staff in a scaled‑down plant. The flagship Beachman ’64 retails for roughly $4,400 USD and targets urban commuters seeking a simple, design‑forward ride. After a...
Government AI Defense Contracts Spark Complex Disputes
Supplier contract disputes can be complicated. And when it’s a govt. contract, in a sensitive spend area like defense, and for a high-profile service/application like AI or other emergent tech, then things can get really tricky. Via @CristinaCriddle @FT https://t.co/OJzNWfcs68
Metrics Matter Only When They Inform Decisions
Metrics are only valuable if they drive decisions. Lisa Anderson shares practical insights on using performance metrics to guide critical supply chain decisions. Watch the Supply Chain Byte. #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #PerformanceMetrics https://t.co/8CF8HFcniM
Opinion: Global Instability Could Speed the Shift to Green Jet Fuels
Geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East has driven jet‑fuel prices to record highs, forcing airlines such as Wizz Air to project roughly $55 million in losses. The shock underscores aviation’s exposure to fossil‑fuel volatility and accelerates interest in sustainable alternatives. Emerging technologies...
ICC Warns Worst Industrial Crisis Amid Iran Strait Conflict
International Chamber of Commerce head. May be facing ‘worst industrial crisis’. Iran war. Strait. Supply of supply chains.
Strait Closure Threatens Global Chemical Supply Chains
Strait closure. Global chemical supply chains and production? And what those chemicals are needed for?
Iran War Threatens to Delay Large Offshore Wind Projects in EU and UK
The ongoing Iran‑Israel conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to trap offshore‑wind components fabricated in the United Arab Emirates. Projects in the UK’s Norfolk waters and several German‑Netherlands North Sea farms, each slated to power millions of...
Iran Tightens Hormuz Passage, Demands Full Ship Details
Iran Demands Crew, Cargo, and Other Details to Send Ships Through Hormuz. Asserting control. https://t.co/xKxQYK4JFV
US‑Iran Conflict Bolsters Russia’s Grip on Global Food Markets
“An official from an Asian or African country who needs urea before the monsoon does not discuss the Ukrainian question. He calls the Kremlin, and the Kremlin picks up,” she said. On how the US war with Iran is strengthening Russia...
Russian Baltic Port Halts Crude Loading as Drones Cause Fire
Ukraine launched a massive drone strike on Russia’s Ust‑Luga Baltic port, igniting storage tanks at Novatek’s oil‑product facilities and forcing a halt to crude loadings of roughly 450,000 barrels per day. Russian defenses intercepted 389 drones, the highest number recorded...
Saudi Red Sea Oil Shipments Near 5 Million‑Barrel Target
Saudi oil shipments via the Red Sea have been ramping up rapidly and are getting close to the five million BPD target https://t.co/SkPyeLTXbO https://t.co/nmq5Kt89xT
AI Surge Fast-Tracks China's Chip Industry, Straining Supply
AI boom accelerates China's chip industry growth as demand strains supply chain Growth in the industry "is coming faster than expected" this year... no kidding... https://t.co/NOedZy15kH
Honeywell AI Powered Control Room Assistant
Honeywell announced the commercial launch of Experion Operations Assistant, an AI‑powered control‑room solution built on its Experion PKS platform. The assistant merges historical and real‑time data to forecast unsafe conditions and production losses, giving operators 5‑10 minutes of advance warning...
Hormuz Closure Threatens World Economy, Outweighs US Strikes
...and yet Hormuz remains closed. The US bragging about how many targets we've hit in Iran while Hormuz remains closed is the geopolitical equivalent of "Every kid gets a trophy", because Hormuz closure means the world economy is on the clock. Another...
China's Primary Oil Sources Revealed in Chartbook
Where China gets is oil from. This and more in the today's Chartbook Top Links. https://t.co/o4m9jIk6D4
EFT Partners with BSPL to Produce E610P Agriculture Drone
EFT has teamed with Bharat Skytech Pvt Ltd (BSPL) to launch the EFT BHARAT brand, localising production of its E610P agricultural drone in India. The partnership includes the transfer of production moulds for key components, enabling ‘Make in India’ manufacturing, distribution,...
UK Businesses
UK businesses face a jump of up to 80% in gas bills on Iran war https://t.co/THZNalojSw via @EamonFarhat https://t.co/vr4PvVdKFc
Trump’s Oil Moves Undone by Zelensky’s Strikes
🛑So let me get this straight: President Trump waived sanctions on Russian oil at sea and released millions of barrels from the SPR to bring oil prices down. Then Zelensky struck Russian oil ports and terminals, tightening oil supply and pushing...
Taiwan Targets Drone Hub with $1.38B Non‑red Supply Push
Can Taiwan fulfil Asia-Pacific drone hub goal with ‘non-red’ supply chain push? Plan is to invest US$1.38 billion between 2025 and 2030 for uncrewed systems industry, but questions linger over scale, politics and timing https://t.co/jb0kr8jdVY via @scmpnews