Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Logistics volatility declared permanent in 2026 State of Logistics Report
The report finds supply‑chain volatility now a permanent condition, with U.S. logistics costs falling to $2.4 trillion, or 7.8% of GDP, down from $2.6 trillion in 2025. Five structural forces—uneven global growth, tighter financial conditions, geoeconomic realignment, labor constraints, and energy price swings—drive the new normal, while AI and automation reshape operations.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
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 reviews for abandonments unless salvage or trail‑use activities are planned. The 69‑page rule, docket EP 779, received unanimous bipartisan support from the board. Public comments are now being solicited before final adoption.
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.
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...
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
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...
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...
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
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...
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
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...
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...
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
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
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...
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
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...
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,...
Global Petrol Prices: Here's a Look at How Much Fuel Cost Has Changed Due to the West Asia War
The West Asia war that began on 29 February 2026 has pushed global petrol prices to an average of $1.41 per litre, with the United States seeing a 30.2% jump to $1.13/L. Australia leads the surge at 42% higher, while Sri Lanka’s...
Windcat Amsterdam Debuts as First Elevation CSOV in Europe
Shipbuilder Damen and Windcat have launched the Windcat Amsterdam, the first Elevation series commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) in European waters. Built at Damen’s Ha Long shipyard in Vietnam, the vessel serves as a floating base for offshore construction, commissioning and maintenance,...
SONAR and Prodensus Partner to Help Freight Brokers Win More Business, Before the Competition Even Responds
Prodensus and SONAR have announced a strategic integration that embeds SONAR’s real‑time spot rates, contract rates and lane scores directly into Prodensus’s AI‑driven freight RFP platform. The combined solution cuts the typical RFP response window from hours to under five...
Baker Hughes to Supply Tech for Offshore LNG Project in Texas
Baker Hughes has been awarded a contract to provide gas compression and power generation equipment for ST LNG’s proposed 8.4 million‑tonne‑per‑annum offshore export terminal off Matagorda, Texas. The deal includes two LM6000PF turbine‑driven centrifugal compressor trains and three NovaLT16 turbine generator...
Governments Sign Free‑trade Deals, Sparing Consumers New Tariffs
Yes, and the kicker is that these governments keep signing real, durable, comprehensive FREE TRADE deals without imposing costly new taxes (tariffs) on their consumers. Almost as if....
SAP Ariba Is Now Generally Available
SAP announced the general availability of its next‑generation Ariba platform, marking the shift from announcement to execution. The rebuilt solution runs on SAP Business Technology Platform, delivering a unified, real‑time data foundation and open APIs for tighter integration with SAP...
American Battery Factory Secures 4.5GWh Offtake Agreements for Arizona LFP Gigafactory
American Battery Factory (AFB) has locked in offtake agreements for 4.5 GWh of the 5.5 GWh output slated for its Arizona LFP gigafactory, clearing a major financing hurdle. The plant, built with Sprung Structures’ rapid‑deploy fabric modules, will begin production in late 2027...
RELEX Report: AI Moves Into Core Supply Chain Decisions as Volatility Persists
RELEX Solutions' State of Supply Chain 2026 report shows AI moving from experiment to core decision support, with 47% of firms using or planning AI-driven inventory optimization and 41% applying AI to logistics. Confidence in AI has risen, as 67%...
War Risk Premiums Hit 7.5%, May Reach 10%: Lloyd’s
Lloyd’s of London says war risk insurance premiums for commercial vessels have surged to 7.5% of a ship’s value following the outbreak of the Iran conflict. Insurers warn that the cost for the most hazardous voyages could approach 10%, dramatically...
Why Euronext Chose the Xeneta Index to Power Euronext Container Freight Futures
Euronext has launched container freight futures and selected Xeneta’s Global Container Price Index (XSI‑C) as the underlying benchmark. The index is praised for its real‑time data, comprehensive coverage of carriers and trade lanes, and focus on 40‑foot containers. Its independence...
America Wants to Reshore Manufacturing—But Who Will Do the Work?
U.S. companies are pouring billions into reshoring manufacturing, spurred by the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act, but a critical workforce gap threatens these investments. Research from the University of Tennessee shows only one‑third of firms have advanced reshoring plans,...