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
How Decisioning Platforms Reshape Procurement Strategy
The conversation with Tomas Wiemer highlights how decision‑making platforms are shifting procurement from a historical, cost‑control mindset to a forward‑looking, strategic function. Traditional tools excel at tracking spend, but new platforms emphasize predictive analytics, volume insight, and real‑time data. Wiemer stresses the need for a clear long‑term vision, investment in technology and talent, and a deliberate split between operational procurement and strategic sourcing. The ultimate goal is to enable better business decisions rather than merely processing transactions.
The Strait of Hormuz Remains Insecure Despite Security Claims
Can the Strait of Hormuz really be secured? GeopoliticalGuy | Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/geopoliticalguy/p/can-the-strait-of-hormuz-really-be?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web #Iran #Hormuz #MiddleEast
From WWI Convoys to Invisible US Navy in Gulf
🚨Return of the Mayflower🚨 On May 4, 1917, six US destroyers of Destroyer Division Eight under Commander Joseph Taussig arrived in Cobh (today Queenstown), Ireland. The ships were the first of a vanguard of 35 American destroyers that arrived in Europe after...
Dalilah’s Law Is Moving Through Congress – Here Is Everything That Is Actually In It, Everything That Was Promised But...
Dalilah’s Law, introduced in the Senate and House, would tie federal transportation funding to strict CDL eligibility, revoking licenses from non‑citizens, non‑permanent residents, and holders of only three specific work visas. The bill mandates English‑only testing and forces a universal...
STB Won’t Open New Probe of CPKC Rail Service on West Coast-Southeast Intermodal Shortcut
Federal regulators at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) denied Norfolk Southern’s and Union Pacific’s petitions to open a probe into Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) handling of interline intermodal trains on the Meridian Speedway, a 320‑mile West Coast‑Southeast shortcut. The...
Amid Soaring Aluminium Imports, India Brings in New QCO
India has introduced a new Quality Control Order (QCO) that obliges both domestic and foreign manufacturers of aluminium and alloy products to adhere to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications. The move comes as imports from China surged from $1.47 billion...
The Person Running DHS Has Changed – Here Is What That Means for the Immigration Enforcement That Has Been Reshaping...
Over the past year, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security have jointly tightened the commercial driver pool through non‑domiciled CDL restrictions and immigration raids, eliminating thousands of drivers and CDL schools. President Trump announced the removal...
Untitled
Wayland Additive announced its return to the RAPID+TCT 2026 exhibition in Boston, where it will showcase its NeuBeam® electron‑beam powder‑bed fusion technology. NeuBeam® actively neutralizes charge during builds, eliminating the “smoke” instability that limits conventional e‑beam systems and enabling a...
France and Italy Seek Safe Passage Deal with Iran
France and Italy have opened diplomatic talks with Iran to secure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit chokepoint. The initiative follows recent French casualties and heightened military presence that underscored the risks...
Nulogy Launches ‘Manufacturing Operating System’
Nulogy introduced its Manufacturing Operating System (MOS), a unified cloud platform that consolidates production, quality, compliance and collaboration tools for manufacturers, contract packagers and 3PLs. The solution promises real‑time visibility and agility by linking disparate enterprise and point solutions on...
West Asia Conflict : Plastics Manufacturers Raise Concerns About Polymer Price Hikes, Seek Survival Package for MSME Units
The All India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) warned that polymer prices have surged 59% in just 11 days amid the West Asia conflict, threatening the viability of India’s plastic‑processing sector. Over 90% of the roughly 50,000 units in the industry...
Borderlands Mexico: GM, Stellantis Drive Auto Exports to US in February
Mexico’s automotive sector produced 311,457 light vehicles in February, a 1.8% year‑over‑year decline, while exports slipped 4.4% to 247,945 units. General Motors and Stellantis remained the top exporters, with GM producing 69,652 vehicles and shipping 57,473, and Stellantis producing 40,865...
India to Procure Spot LNG for Urea Manufacturing
India’s government announced a rapid spot‑LNG procurement to offset a 40% supply cut from Qatar, which has jeopardised domestic urea production. Petronet LNG invoked force majeure after tankers failed to reach Ras Laffan amid the West Asia conflict. The first...
India Post to Introduce 24-Hour, 48-Hour Premium Speed Post Services
India Post will launch premium “24 Speed Post” and “48 Speed Post” services on March 17, 2026, offering next‑day and two‑day document delivery between six major metros. A new “24 Speed Post Parcel” product adds next‑day parcel delivery with weight‑based tariffs up to 5 kg. The offerings target both retail...
Generative AI Lifts Retail Margins—Buy Walmart
Macro: Generative AI boosts retail margins via supply‑chain automation. Leaders: WMT, TGT. Risk: AI discovery can divert share from opaque retailers. Trade: Buy WMT. 📈 — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Piraeus Car Terminal Welcomes Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
The Port of Piraeus has launched a cooperation with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) following the inaugural call of the M/V Tourmaline Ace at its car terminal. The vessel arrived with roughly 1,000 vehicles bound for the Greek market, marking the...
Drewry’s World Container Index Surges 8% on Asia-Europe Rate Gains
Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 8% to $2,123 per 40‑foot container, driven by strong Asia‑Europe freight gains and continued Transpacific growth. Shanghai‑Rotterdam spot rates surged 19%, while Shanghai‑Genoa rose 10%, reflecting heightened demand on key lanes. Carriers limited capacity, announcing...
Insurance Premiums, Not Blockades, Choke the Strait of Hormuz
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝘇 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁. Here's something most supply chain professionals don't fully appreciate — and probably should. Iran doesn't need to physically block the world's most critical oil chokepoint. They just need to...
Red Sea Swarms with Tankers as Hormuz Remains Closed
MAP OF THE DAY: While the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed (other than a few tankers, notably from India), the Red Sea is witnessing the arrival of an oil tanker armada to the Saudi terminals there. (Tracking via @TheTerminal) (Blue...
MSC Revises Koala Service
MSC has overhauled the rotation of its Koala service linking Northeast Asia and Australia. The southbound call at Jakarta is being dropped in favor of a Singapore stop, and a second northbound call at Adelaide has been added. The revised...
Confectionery Supply Chains Brace for Conflict‑Driven Shortages
Confectionery supply chains are bracing for shortage risk as conflict escalation impacts trade routes, freight and energy - pressuring ingredients + packaging inputs. Actions: rapid risk review, alternate sourcing, stronger visibility. #SupplyChain #Confectionery https://t.co/9CBpZa8x6A
Shipping Confidence Hinges on Iran Conflict Ending Soon
Ok but the real question is when will shipping feel confident enough to return to normal?
Lloyd’s Register Grants Type Approval to GIT Coatings for Hull Coating
Lloyd’s Register has awarded type approval and technical assurance to GIT Coatings’ next‑generation graphene‑based hull coating, XGIT‑FORCE. The approval confirms compliance with IMO’s Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti‑Fouling Systems and validates the coating’s hard foul‑release performance. GIT Coatings...
War on Iran Sparks Unprecedented Supply Chain Uncertainty
The US-Israeli war on Iran, is heavily disrupting fertilizer, aluminum, semiconductor inputs, and other key industrial supplies. Supply chain expert Nick Vyas: “We have created equal if not greater uncertainty than during the pandemic.” TRUMP’S WAR = AFFORDABILITY PROBLEMS. https://t.co/zziB6qAr5L
Two LCS Mine‑Countermeasure Ships Deployed to Malaysia Amid Regional Pullback
So 2 of the 3 Littoral Combat Ships outfitted with the mines countermeasures package is in Malaysia? Not sure about Canberra but this seems like a strange time to pull a major element from the region.
CMA CGM Charters Slots on Neoline’s Sail-Powered Transatlantic Service
CMA CGM has signed a charter agreement to secure 50 TEU on each sailing of Neoliner Origin, the sail‑powered container vessel operated by Neoline Armateurs. The ship, with a deadweight of roughly 5,300 tonnes and a capacity of about 265...
US Oil Exports Could Spark Overwhelming Ban Demand
I’m really concerned that when people take this one step further and learn that the US is actually selling oil to other countries that the public’s demand for an export ban will become overwhelming.
Global Shipping Chaos Raises Costs for Everyone
More than 100 cargo ships are stuck in the Persian Gulf. Nearby ports are packed with redirected cargo. Costs are being driven up globally. NOBODY IS SPARED FROM THE TRUMP- NETANYAHU WAR TAX. https://t.co/EF8fmqKgiV
MSC Expands St. Petersburg Coverage
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has added two dedicated shuttle services between Klaipeda, Lithuania and St. Petersburg, Russia, bolstering its Baltic feeder network. Baltic Loop 3 will run weekly with a 3,000‑TEU vessel, while Baltic Loop 12 will operate every five days using...
Alba Cuts 19% Capacity to Safeguard Operations Amid Hormuz Disruption
March 15 (Reuters) - Aluminium Bahrain https://t.co/oYsWepGMNg, known as Alba, said on Sunday it had initiated a shutdown of three aluminium smelting lines accounting for 19% of its capacity to preserve business continuity amid ongoing disruption in the Strait of...
Battery Fires Threaten Fragile Supply Chains, LA Port Chief Warns
Lithium-ion battery blazes imperil fragile supply chains, warns Los Angeles port chief https://t.co/6hprhROZuE via @ft
Without Rare Earth Elements, Electronic Warfare Systems Lose Their Edge
Electronic warfare (EW) has become the backbone of modern military operations, turning the electromagnetic spectrum into a decisive battlespace. The performance of EW hardware hinges on rare‑earth‑based components—neodymium‑iron‑boron and samarium‑cobalt magnets for antenna steering, power generation, and high‑temperature stability, plus...
Fuel Oil Prices Spike, Threatening Container Shipping Costs
COLUMN: While the price of Brent and WTI crudes remain well below their record high, the cost of fuel oil has surged above the 2022 and 2008 peaks. The surge is a big problem for the workhorse of globalisation: the container...
Midwest Tight, West Coast Weak: Carriers Stay Put
Carriers should stay in the Midwest, where the conditions are extremely tight, while the West Coast remains weak
Port of Rotterdam Authority to Build New Quay
The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Evos Rotterdam have agreed to build a new inland shipping quay to accommodate Evos’s terminal expansion in Europoort. The expansion adds five storage tanks, boosting capacity by 67,500 cubic metres for methanol, ethanol and...
Iran Says Hormuz Open, only US/Israeli Ships Barred
"Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said the Strait of Hormuz is open and that the strategic route is only closed to the US and Israeli vessels" Are ships and tankers moving? If not, then where is the problem? Look...
US Lacks Effective Red Sea Escort, Shipping Still Unsafe
Breakdown of @POTUS statement: 1️⃣Allied warships took over the Red Sea after Operation Prosperity Guardian in Yemen. Shipping traffic did not return. 2️⃣If they can still send a drone, mine or missile, than you have not destroyed 100%. While the...
Hormuz Shipping Halt Threatens Billions; Resume for All
Because some folks seem confused: I think it’s really bad that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is halted, and it would be better for pretty well everyone (except Russia) if traffic resumes It will be utterly miserable for billions of...
Oil Loss Anywhere Sends Prices Soaring Everywhere, U.S. Knows
A barrel of oil lost anywhere is a barrel lost everywhere. It’s a global market and acute scarcity in the Middle East/Asia will inevitably spike prices in North America as markets work to incentivize cargoes to fill the hole. US foreign policy...
Tariffs Shift US‑China Trade Balance, Not Global Flow
A case study in how tariffs can change the bilateral trade balance but not the global trade balance -- the US is now importing a ton of computers, but essentially zero of those are registering in customs as Chinese made 1/...
Hormuz Threat Lulls: No New Attacks, Interference Persists
🚨Mar 14 Hormuz Update🚨 1️⃣Confirmed attacks: 20 2️⃣Attacks last 24 hrs:0 3️⃣Passage last 24 hrs: 2 4️⃣Average passage: 138 5️⃣Electronic interference: widespread https://t.co/nQ4ZTet45o
Convoy Escorts Likely Limited to National‑interest Vessels
Let's talk about how this works as it will not be a unified convoy operation, probably. If it is like the Red Sea, then they will escort the ships they have a national interest in, only. https://t.co/FxZMYvlZSu
ATA Claims Driver Shortage Despite Clear Evidence
The ATA will see this and then look you dead in the eye and tell you that there’s a driver shortage https://t.co/X7QcsVTiJ5
Hormuz Blockade Triggers Energy, Shipping, and Food Crises
🚨Strait of Hormuz Disruptions🚨 Implications of Global Trade and Development by @UNCTAD 1️⃣Energy Surge 2️⃣Soaring Shipping Crisis 3️⃣Insurance Spikes 4️⃣Fertilizer & Food Security 5️⃣Insurance Spikes & Higher Borrowing Costs https://t.co/SxnLDTDmwG
Delaware Bay Barge Fire Extinguished, Salvage Operations Begin
The barge fire on Delaware Bay has been extinguished and the scene turned over to the salvors. https://t.co/uqBwjXnG5z
Tiny $22.67
What will it take for a shipowner to run the Strait? $500,000/day charter rate. The crews receive a war risk bonus of 100% their daily rate. The minimum wage for seafarers is $680/month. So the $22.67/day extra is a small drop in the bucket...
Fire Hits UAE Oil Hub as Iran Threatens Retaliation
Fire at UAE's major Fujairah oil hub, as Iran vows retaliation for US attack on Kharg Island https://t.co/5FZnHQsJ4j
Double Standards: Free Trade for Us, Tariffs for Rivals
Free trade for my inputs; tariffs for my competitors. A tale as old as time.
Shipowners Risk Mines and Missiles to Smuggle Oil
Lured by Profits, Some Shipowners Brave Mines and Missiles to Sneak Oil Past Iran https://t.co/rCFiJE3YzS
Only 6% Register, $166B Refunds Unclaimed
The gov't says only 6% of eligible companies have registered their payment details to receive tariff refunds. $166B in refunds at stake. People hate money.