Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Strait of Hormuz status hinges on shipping firms amid US‑Iran tensions
The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran announced the waterway closed again within days, citing Israeli attacks and U.S. “bad faith.” U.S. Central Command reported that 55 merchant vessels carrying 17 million barrels of oil still transited the strait on Saturday, while the United States maintains a naval presence to guarantee flow.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Graphite One acquires Ohio site for EV battery anodes
Signode Showcases Integrated Automation and ASRS Solutions at MODEX 2026
Signode will showcase its integrated automation and ASRS portfolio at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, highlighting how its packaging, robotics, and material‑handling technologies work together as a connected system. The exhibit features the Octopus Prestige stretch‑wrapping machine paired with an autonomous mobile robot forklift, a collaborative palletizing cell linked to LDX‑RC case openers and LDX‑RTB sealers, and the StorFast automated storage and retrieval system. With over $2 billion in revenue and a presence in six continents, Signode aims to demonstrate end‑to‑end efficiency for food‑beverage, consumer goods, e‑commerce, and industrial manufacturers.
Iran's Toll Booth Threat Could Shut Global Trade
Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran’s “Toll Booth” Plan Threatens Global Trade This is a big one, folks. Prof Rob Huebert, @UCalgary, discusses international maritime law and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. https://youtu.be/nPQMTWEySvE
Turkey Enters Containerised Ferrous Scrap Market
Turkey, the world’s largest seaborne scrap importer, has begun receiving containerised ferrous scrap from the UK, a trade previously limited to Asian destinations. The shift was driven by Switzerland‑based Stelaris Resources, which arranged the first deliveries from Mellor Metals and...
Trump's Iran War Triggers Philippine Oil Emergency, Global Costs
Trump essentially declared war on the Philippines when he unilaterally went to war with Iran. The Philippines imports 98% of its oil from the middle east. They were immediately thrust into a formal national state of emegency, for a YEAR....
QatarEnergy Invokes Force Majeure on Key LNG Contracts
JUST IN: 🇶🇦 QatarEnergy declares force majeure on LNG contracts with China, Italy, South Korea, and Belgium.
AI Gains Ground in Packaging Industry - Lower Costs and Greater Functionality Are Helping Increase Adoption.
AI adoption in packaging is accelerating as costs drop and functionality expands, according to PMMI’s February 2026 report. Consumer packaged goods firms and equipment OEMs are moving beyond pilot projects toward plant‑wide AI orchestration, especially in machine vision, knowledge transfer,...
The Philippines Declares State of Emergency over Fuel Crisis
The episode reports that the Philippines has declared a national energy emergency as diesel and petrol prices more than double amid the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, prompting an executive order that lets the government control fuel distribution, purchase supplies, and subsidise costs....
FCC Blocks Imports of Foreign‑Made Consumer Routers, Shaking US Tech Supply Chain
The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on importing foreign‑made consumer wireless routers, citing national‑security concerns. The move threatens to upend the U.S. consumer‑electronics supply chain, prompting industry alarm and debate over the agency’s authority.
U.S. Rare‑Earth Stocks Surge as Government Funding Fuels Investor Interest
USA Rare Earth secured $1.6 bn in U.S. government funding and $1.5 bn from private investors, while MP Materials received a 15% government stake and a $110/kg price floor from the Department of Defense. The twin capital moves have lifted both stocks...
PepsiCo to Trim 20% of U.S. SKUs in Aggressive Portfolio Purge
PepsiCo announced it will cut roughly one‑fifth of its U.S. product portfolio, targeting up to 20% of SKUs as part of a strategic deal with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. The move includes plant closures and a push to redirect...
Strategic Stockpiles
The Philippines faces a looming crisis as the Strait of Hormuz disruption threatens oil‑derived fertilizer supplies, driving urea prices to roughly P1,500 (about $27) per bag. With no strategic fertilizer reserves and a rice supply gap of nearly four million...
PPG Launches New PPG InsightsNav for Seastock Coatings
PPG has introduced InsightsNav, a cloud‑based analytics platform that consolidates seastock coating purchase data for shipowners and operators. The tool standardizes fragmented records into interactive dashboards, enabling real‑time spend visibility and predictive budgeting. By highlighting port‑level pricing and order‑consolidation opportunities,...
Scotland Awards New Ferry Contract to Chinese Yard
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has awarded Guangzhou Shipyard International in China a £200 million (~$250 million) contract to build two new freight‑flex ferries for Scotland’s Northern Isles routes. The vessels will replace the aging MV Helliar and MV Hildasay, offering faster speeds, up...
Port Conditions Diverged Sharply Across Regions and Seasons in 2025
VesselBot’s 2025 port performance report, covering 660 terminals and 6,393 vessels, reveals stark regional and seasonal fragmentation in anchorage and berth times. Average anchorage per call was seven hours, ranging from 6.2 hours in July to 8.4 hours in December,...
Yumari
Yumari is an AI‑driven infrastructure platform that links U.S. and Canadian direct‑to‑consumer brands with manufacturers across Latin America. The startup’s proprietary models automate supplier matching, product development, quality control, customs clearance and logistics, creating a true "manufacturing‑on‑demand" experience. By digitizing...
Flatbed Market Surges, Rates Soar Despite 40% Rejection
Why is DAT trying to talk down the flatbed market? Nothing is fading in flatbed. This is the most extreme surge in flatbed markets we have tracked in many years, with no sign of it cooling. Rejection rates remain above...
Homerun Resources Inc. Announces Binding Distribution Agreement with Cristal Sand Group, Securing First Commercial Sales of High-Purity Industrial Silica Sand...
Homerun Resources Inc. has signed a binding 12‑month exclusive sales distribution contract with Cristal Sand Group for high‑purity industrial silica sand from the Santa Maria Eterna district in Bahia, Brazil. The agreement secures the company’s first commercial volumes, with a...
Responsible Supply Chain Conference London: Meet the Speaker – Emily Coon, St Austell Brewery
The Responsible Supply Chain Conference (RSCC) in London will feature Emily Coon, Sustainability Manager at St Austell Brewery, discussing how to turn sustainability ambitions into operational reality. Coon highlights that embedding ESG criteria into core procurement processes, rather than treating...
NOVACAVI Launches Tow Cable Identification Solution
NOVAVACI, an Italian underwater‑cable specialist, introduced a fast, reliable identification system for steel‑wire armored cables used on research and defense vessels. The solution, displayed at stand D80 during UDT 2026 in London, lets operators instantly distinguish active cables when multiple systems...
Trucking Spot Rates Hit 2022 Highs, Capacity Tightens
Trucking spot rates continue to rip, with daily trucking spot rates at their highest levels since March 2022. The flatbed market is showing some of the highest weekly spikes we have tracked, outside of COVID, a sign that industrials are...
EU Faces Cotton Traceability Call over DPP Rules
Cotton Diaries, a global cotton advisory group, has released a report urging the European Union to embed full supply‑chain traceability—including the gin stage—into its upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) regulations. The report, titled “Is cotton traceability too complex – or...
Why a Secure Industrial Supply Chain Depends on Layered AI
Industrial supply chains are increasingly exposed to AI‑driven cyber threats that bypass traditional perimeter defenses. Vendors, OT devices, and cloud services now intersect, creating a unified attack surface where a single compromised credential can cascade across production, logistics, and revenue...
New Data Puts a Number on the Insurance-Safety Gap in Trucking
A new FMCSA‑based study of 314,078 interstate for‑hire carriers links insurance underwriting type to safety outcomes. Non‑underwritten carriers consistently post higher composite risk scores and dirty‑inspection rates than peers in underwritten programs, with gaps widening for mid‑size fleets. Risk Retention...
3PLs Struggle to Address Shippers’ Tech, Service, Cost, and Data Needs
Third‑party logistics providers (3PLs) face mounting pressure as shippers seek greater resilience, reliability and real‑time data amid rising costs, labor shortages and geopolitical volatility. Industry leaders like Ryder emphasize deep customer understanding, rapid startup execution and continuous KPI‑driven improvement to...
$134M Gainesville Port to Open in May
Georgia Ports Authority is set to launch a $134 million inland port in Gainesville this May, designed to handle up to 200,000 containers annually once fully built. The site will be anchored by a 540,000‑square‑foot warehouse from Alliance Industrial and a...
DNV Launches AI-Powered RuleAgent Tool
DNV has launched RuleAgent, an AI‑driven tool that lets maritime professionals ask natural‑language questions and instantly retrieve relevant excerpts from its regulatory database. The system scans more than 30,000 pages of rules, standards, and guidelines, generating concise summaries and linking...
US Launches $1T Pax Silica Fund to Secure Supply Chains
The New "Pax Silica" Fund The Trump Administration is establishing a Supply Chain Fund. The "Pax Silica" fund will support energy, semiconductor, and critical materials. The US will commit $250M, and partners will include Singapore, the UAE, Qatar, and Sweden. The...
Addressing Lithium Supply Risks for U.S. Battery Resilience
The United States relies on foreign sources for more than 90% of the lithium used in its batteries, exposing warehouses, manufacturers and logistics networks to geopolitical risk and price volatility. With global demand projected to quintuple by 2040, policymakers and...
Kongsberg Maritime Selected to Provide Equipment Package for Luxury Polar Expedition Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract with MKM Yachts to outfit the Scenic Ikon, a 203‑meter luxury polar expedition vessel for Scenic Cruise, with a comprehensive equipment package. The ship will feature Kongsberg’s hybrid electric propulsion system, including two Elegance 1230...
The Switch Launches PMM850M Permanent Magnet Machine
The Switch has introduced the PMM850M, a permanent‑magnet machine aimed at marine shaft‑generator and propulsion applications in the 500 kW to 1.5 MW range. The compact design features brushless operation, water‑jacket cooling and a modular architecture, promising higher electrical efficiency and lower...
Untitled
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has expanded its partnership with Corvus Robotics, deploying more than 40 Corvus One autonomous drones across nine distribution centers nationwide. The drones have completed roughly 5,000 flights, uncovering over 35,000 inventory discrepancies and shifting cycle...
Despite Low Demand, China Drives 5% Increase in Iron Ore Shipments
Global iron ore shipments rose 5% year‑over‑year in the first 12 weeks of 2026, driven by stronger Chinese import demand. Yet Chinese steel production slipped 4% in the same period, pushing inventories to a record 179.5 million tonnes by March 12....
Dixstone Receives Third Offshore Support Vessel From Holland Shipyards Group
Holland Shipyards Group has delivered Men Skey, the third and final offshore support vessel for Dixstone, completing a three‑ship program that began earlier in 2025. The 52‑metre, shallow‑draft OSV features a 73‑ton bollard pull, hybrid propulsion and DP0 station‑keeping, tailored for...
US Scrap Markets Respond to Middle East Aluminum Supply Disruption
U.S. aluminum scrap markets are feeling the ripple effects of a supply disruption in the Middle East, where cheap energy fuels large‑scale smelting. The interruption of primary aluminum shipments has driven U.S. manufacturers to lean heavily on recycled content, spiking...
Augury and MaintainX Partner to Deliver Closed-Loop Maintenance Execution for Frontline Teams
Augury and MaintainX announced an integration that turns Augury’s AI‑driven machine‑health insights into real‑time work orders within the MaintainX platform. The closed‑loop system automatically creates work orders when anomalies are detected, includes diagnostic context, and feeds completion data back to...
Digital Tech Redefines Pharma Manufacturing and Distribution
This book explains how disruptive technologies and emerging trends such as robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, precision medicine or patient design will impact the manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals in order to prepare successfully for a better future of healthcare. Everything...
GCL Optoelectronics Wins China’s First Commercial Perovskite-Silicon Tandem PV Module Order
GCL Optoelectronics secured a 1.2 MW contract from China Huaneng to supply commercial perovskite‑silicon tandem solar modules. The tender required mass‑producible, IEC‑certified modules delivering at least 26% efficiency and a 25‑year performance warranty, with delivery by June 2026. GCL is the sole...
Dexory and Multipowr Advance Next-Generation Warehouse Robotics With Integrated Wireless Charging
Dexory has teamed with Multipowr to embed high‑power wireless charging into its next‑generation autonomous warehouse robots, allowing longer run times and flexible battery management. The integrated system supports a wide power range and multiple battery configurations, making it adaptable to...
Wing's Bay Area Drone Delivery Plans Unclear as Sources Offer No Details
The eight supplied source articles contain no mention of Wing expanding its drone delivery service to the San Francisco Bay Area. As a result, key facts such as launch dates, fleet size, or partnership terms remain undisclosed, limiting insight into...
Elon Musk Announces $20 B ‘Terafab’ AI Chip Plant in Austin
Elon Musk unveiled a $20‑$22 billion semiconductor fab, dubbed Terafab, near Tesla’s Austin gigafactory. The plant will target advanced 2‑nanometer AI chips, aiming to generate up to one terawatt of computing power annually for Tesla, SpaceX, and his AI venture xAI,...
Why the Dual-Chokepoint Condition Is Multiplicatively Worse?
The Red Sea remains hazardous for container vessels while the Strait of Hormuz has come under Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) enforcement, eliminating any redundancy between the two critical maritime chokepoints. With both routes simultaneously compromised, shipping lines face a...
Samsara Introduces 2026 North America Customer Advisory Board
Samsara Inc. announced the formation of its 2026 North America Customer Advisory Board, bringing together executives from roughly 50 companies in transportation, logistics, energy and food distribution. The board will guide the next generation of AI‑driven safety and operational tools...
The Ultimate Revive-Al: Allison Lee with Jenny Fielding
In this episode, co‑founder and CEO Alison Lee walks through Revive’s evolution from a fitting‑room tech startup (originally called Hamster) to a full‑stack virtual tailoring, refurbishment, and resale platform that helps fashion brands cut returns, recover damaged inventory, and sell...
Why Are U.S. EV Truck Costs Rising While Europe’s Fall?
U.S. Class 6‑8 electric trucks have risen 27% in price since 2020, with a sharp 40% jump between 2020‑2021, while comparable European models fell 32% and 23% respectively. The International Council on Clean Transportation attributes the U.S. increase to larger battery...
ASML Poised for Massive Growth From Chip Boom
$ASML will be one of the biggest winners for the next 5-10 years Elon Musk announced that Tesla and SpaceX will build an advanced chip “Terafab” manufacturing plant increasing demand for EUV machine SK Hynix is ordering $8B of $ASML...
Unpacking Coffee's Supply Chain Costs and Dynamics
Check out this edition of the Art of Supply newsletter for a deep dive into the supply and cost dynamics of the coffee supply chain. ☕ https://t.co/JyZWYKIpxp
FCC Ban on Foreign Routers Demands Operator Supply Chain Reviews
The Federal Communications Commission has added foreign‑manufactured consumer routers to its Covered List, effectively banning new authorizations for such devices. The decision follows an inter‑agency security assessment linking overseas routers to past cyber‑attacks like Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon. Existing routers...
Closing the Strait Threatens Demand, Requires Immediate Action
This is how you begin to destroy demand. Much more will be necessary if the Strait doesn't reopen soon.
Celsius Linked to Fresh LNG Carrier Order at Samsung Heavy
Denmark’s Celsius Tankers has secured a new order for two 180,000 m³ LNG carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries, valued at roughly KRW 770 billion ($514 million). The vessels are scheduled for delivery through September 2028, adding to Celsius’s existing portfolio of about 24...
TSMC Capacity Overstretched, Broadcom Says as It Flags Supply Constraints
Broadcom warned that its key foundry partner TSMC is hitting production limits, creating a bottleneck for AI chip supply in 2026. The strain extends beyond semiconductors, with printed circuit board lead times expanding from six weeks to six months and...