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
AIRCRAFT DELIVERY DELAYS WORRY AIRLINES
Airlines are grappling with record passenger demand while aircraft deliveries stall because of a severe engine production bottleneck, especially Pratt & Whitney’s GTF units. Boeing briefly reclaimed the lead in 2026, delivering 46 737 MAX jets in January, surpassing Airbus’s 19 A320neo deliveries, and posted roughly 1,200 bookings for the year. The combined backlog of 15,000‑16,000 aircraft means the current production rate could take 12‑14 years to clear, leaving hundreds of jets grounded. Airbus now expects its monthly A320 output to slip into 2027.
From Cost Exposure to Cost Control: Using Energy Flexibility to Protect Margins
Australian manufacturers are facing heightened margin pressure as wholesale electricity prices swing dramatically within hours. GridBeyond’s FlexPilot framework proposes turning energy from a volatile cost into a controllable variable by integrating seven‑day price forecasts, machine‑learning optimisation, and digital‑twin simulations into...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 08 ’26 Business Report]
During the March 8 Defense & Aerospace Report podcast, analysts examined a surge in geopolitical tension and market volatility shaping defense spending. The Trump administration is expected to request $50 billion in supplemental funding as the US‑Israel conflict with Iran intensifies, while...
What Is Sustainable Procurement and Why Does It Matter?
Sustainable procurement embeds environmental, social, and economic criteria into buying decisions, moving beyond traditional cost‑only models. Companies adopt it to address climate change, resource scarcity, and rising stakeholder expectations. The approach delivers risk mitigation, long‑term cost efficiencies, and compliance with...
Ellerman City Liners Relaunches IPEX2 Service
Ellerman City Liners has revived its IPEX2 service, re‑establishing a dedicated shuttle route between Hull, United Kingdom and Gdynia, Poland. The relaunched line will operate with a single 325‑TEU vessel, delivering a direct North Sea‑Baltic connection after a period of...
US Defends Waiver On Russian Oil Sanctions
U.S. officials defended a 30‑day waiver allowing Indian refineries to purchase Russian oil, aiming to ease market pressure as gasoline prices surged amid the Iran conflict. The waiver, announced by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and UN Ambassador Mike Waltz, seeks...
Singapore’s Oil Anchor Hub Threatened, Hormuz Gains Crucial Role
Everybody is watching the Strait of Hormuz, but they should also be watching Singapore. The image on the right are all the laden tankers sitting in an around Simgapore. The one in the left, with less ships, are loaded Very...
B-21 Bomber Production to Accelerate
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are speeding up production of the B‑21 Raider stealth bomber as testing progresses. The company has poured more than $5 billion into digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure to support the ramp‑up. Final assembly continues...
Floating 100M Barrels Fill Hormuz‑Malacca Gap
If you are not following @TankerTrackers you dont understand the tanker situation. Look at the gap forming between the Strait of Hormuz and Strait of Malacca. Now there is also about 100M barrels of fuel afloat in and around Singapore and...
Britain's Strategic Retreat Hands China Global Footholds
We had a good thing, Britain. A really good thing. You taught us this game. Mahan studied you. We just wrote bigger checks. The deal was simple. We spend the trillions. Fight the hard wars. We even let you sit out Vietnam. And...
Akkon Lines Launches Bulgaria Shuttle Service
Turkish carrier Akkon Lines will launch the Bulgaria Shuttle Service later this month, adding a dedicated short‑sea loop between Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. The service will operate a single 350‑TEU vessel, calling at Gemlik, Izmit (Gebze), Varna, Burgas and Constanta...
An Export Grid that Bears Fruit
India’s west‑coast logistics bottleneck is easing after Jaigad Port inaugurated a plant‑quarantine office and a NABL‑accredited FSSAI laboratory. The new facilities enable local certification, cutting container transport costs by up to ₹60,000 and reducing logistics expenses by 10‑15 percent. With a...
Numina Group Launches AI-Driven AMR and Voice Picking Automation
Numina Group unveiled Batchbot 2.0, an AI‑driven solution that fuses its Real‑time Distribution Software with KUKA’s fifth‑generation autonomous mobile robots and a voice‑picking suite. The system claims to slash more than 20 minutes of idle operator travel per hour and...
Borderlands Mexico: Authorities Move to Cancel Permits for 350 Mexican Steel Importers
Mexican authorities have suspended import activities and begun canceling permits for 350 steel‑importing firms as part of Operation Clean‑Up, a coordinated crackdown on smuggling and misuse of trade programs. The Ministry of Economy flagged these companies among 750 firms suspected...
Oil Prices ‘Could Breach $100 a Barrel Within Days’ Amid Supply Disruption From Iran War
Goldman Sachs warned that global oil prices could breach $100 a barrel within days and climb to $150 by month‑end if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. Iran’s effective blockade has cut crude flows through the strait to roughly 10%...
HEBI Robotics Awarded $850,000 Business Contract by NASA
NASA has granted HEBI Robotics an $850,000 Phase II SBIR contract to develop and test space‑rated actuation hardware. The two‑year effort will produce modular actuators and compatible avionics for low‑Earth‑orbit and geosynchronous missions. HEBI’s technology aims to survive ionizing radiation and...
International Women’s Day Shines Spotlight on the Women Powering the Sector
On International Women’s Day, Logistics UK highlighted the accelerating presence of women in the UK logistics sector. Over the past four years, female road‑transport drivers have surged 322%, directors up 36%, forklift drivers 15%, and clerks 61%, signalling a major...
Rhenus Group Expands Philippine Logistics Footprint
Rhenus Group has opened a 7,320‑square‑metre multi‑user warehouse in Parañaque, Metro Manila, expanding its Philippine network to eight facilities. The site features 20‑metre ceiling heights, comprehensive security systems and sustainability measures such as LED lighting, solar‑panel provisions and skylights. Rhenus...
Gravis Robotics Expands Into US with Autonomous Construction Equipment Platform
Gravis Robotics announced its full commercial rollout in the United States at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026, showcasing live autonomous earth‑moving equipment alongside partners Develon and Hitachi. The company introduced Gravis Copilot, a machine‑guidance platform that makes existing fleets autonomy‑ready without altering workflows. Deployments...
China Plans Its Own ASML: Semiconductor Industry to Become More Independent
Leading Chinese chip executives issued a stark assessment of their domestic semiconductor sector, calling it small, fragmented, and weak despite years of state subsidies. Their analysis, timed with the 2026‑2030 five‑year plan, sets targets to stabilize 28 nm production, achieve reliable...
China Faces Energy Crisis as Gulf Oil Imports Halt
China imports crude oil based on the day, between 65 and 85% of its total, and about three-quarters of that comes specifically from the Persian Gulf. And that has now dropped to zero. Unlike countries like the United States, which...
Diesel Surge Boosts Broker Margins via Fuel Surcharges
The diesel surge is welcome news for freight brokers that have contracted freight. Fuel surcharges will provide a lot of relief, as the diesel surge is moving much quicker than trucking spot rates. Brokers will make a couple of percent on fuel...
700 Cargoes, $40 Billion, and the Russian Exit Threat: How the Hormuz Shock Shattered Europe’s Energy Calculus
The sudden closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted roughly 700 oil cargoes, representing about $40 billion in trade, and exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s post‑2022 energy strategy. Simultaneously, Russia warned it could exit the European market before any formal ban,...
Marine Nationale Likely to Escort French Ships in Contested Waters
Any bets that the @MarineNationale will do what they did in @EUNAVFORASPIDES and escort French vessels through the contested waters for their shipping lines.
Action Expected in the Strait This Week
This week, is when we will see some action in the Strait. Good or bad, we should see some movement.
Adnoc Adjusts Flows, Deliveries to Maintain Supplies
Abu Dhabi’s state‑owned oil giant Adnoc announced it has activated contingency protocols to keep crude flowing despite the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict disrupting tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The company is adjusting offshore production, leveraging the 1.5 million b/d ADCOP pipeline that...
Supply Chains Remain Uncertain—Are You Ready?
The only supply chain certainty has been and will be is uncertainty. Are you prepared? https://t.co/8IU0Hklve5
Iran War Triggers Gulf Insurance Pull, 1,000+ Containers Stuck
The impact of the Iran war is spreading. 1,000+ containers at Chittagong. War risk insurance pulled for the Gulf.
Reluctant Support for Extended Iran Deployment, Questioning CENTCOM Funding
For the record, I’m not thrilled about this whole Iran thing. I was in the camp of bulldozing @CENTCOM to fund moving @Southcom back to the Panama Canal. But if we must be there a few weeks longer… maybe… just...
China's Navy Built for Global Commerce Defense, Gulf Escort Possible
Everyone has always wondered what the PLAN (Chinese Navy) was configured for. We may see this come to fruition if they send a squadron to the Persian Gulf to escort their ships. The PLAN is perfectly sized and...
Beyond Oil: Gulf War Shook Global Container Trade
If you thought oil and energy was the only thing impacted by the Gulf War, hang on to your containers.
Royal Navy's Mediterranean Failure Mocked by Royal Irony
Everyone’s shocked the Royal Navy can’t get a warship to the Mediterranean, let alone the Persian Gulf. But remember, King Charles also commands Canada’s Royal Navy. Surely he can dispatch her broken subs and battle kayaks for backup. https://t.co/Yo6gQLLxR6
Supply Exists, But Delivery Bottlenecks Threaten Gulf Imports
Technically, yes @SecretaryWright. But if the oil and natural gas can't get from the suppliers to the consumers it doesn't really matter to those who rely on imports from the Persian Gulf
U.S. Public Backing International Trade Hits Record High
American support for international trade is at an all-time high (and, no, not just among Democrats) https://t.co/QayxCkWNFn
High‑Stakes Billionaire Competition Resurfaces Amid Hormuz Crisis
For those who want an overview without watching my full hour+ long video on the Strait of Hormuz Crisis https://t.co/QDALtGFKiC
U.S. DFC Launches $20 Bn Gulf Maritime Reinsurance Plan
"U.S. DFC unveils $20BN plan for maritime reinsurance in the Gulf" The CEO of the DFC looks like someone who would sell you $20B worth of insurance. https://t.co/QRhFuzBtx0 https://t.co/0v78TH7CKl
Iran's Jask Loading Marks Strategic Shift Beyond Gulf
So, Iran loading at Jask is significant as it is outside the Gulf and right on the Gulf of Oman. H/T @TankerTrackers https://t.co/LiGn8YEVqW
Global Trade Risks Rising – Freight Forwarder Launches Tomorrow
Heading home this morning from a lovely couple of days in the mountains. Friendly reminder that Freight Forwarder goes out tomorrow. Here's this past week's newsletter if you missed it. Freight Forward: Global Trade Risks Grow https://t.co/bCNXLH05QO https://t.co/Sc2FCjjfV3
One Tanker Passes; Massive Scale‑up Needed Amid Supply Backlog
Wow, one whole large tanker?! Need to up that >100-fold and just simply to return to normal. And that’s not counting the massive backlog of ships, disruptions, and durable damage to both regional infrastructure and global supply chains that will take months...
Iran Keeps Shipping Oil to China Amid Conflict
PHOTO OF THE DAY: China is still getting (some of) its oil. Nine days into the war, Iran continues loading oil supertankers from Kharg Island. Tehran has sent some of them across the Strait of Hormuz into the high seas wihthout any...
US Oil Independence Shifts Gains to Industry, Hurts Drivers
“The US is roughly speaking oil independent… on net, we export petroleum products.” That’s why this is less an ‘America is poorer’ story than an ‘Americans reshuffle who wins’ story. Oil industry wins. Drivers lose. https://t.co/Efd22aQEeK
US Beef Supply Relies Heavily on Mexican Cattle
"Texas Feedlot Operators Explain Why U.S. Beef Supply Depends on Mexican Cattle Imports" https://t.co/D3IHviRfRg https://t.co/fO9Ac9MceR
SFO Leads Diesel Prices at $5.96/gal Nationwide Map
Map of average diesel prices by market (updated each morning). SFO has the highest at $5.96/gallon https://t.co/DgH7FMrsx0
Rising Diesel Costs Threaten Spot Market Carriers
Diesel prices have surged, but still below 2022 and 2008 levels. With the recent run up in spot rates, most carriers can absorb the current surges, but if it continues to surge, it could be detrimental for carriers operating in...
Tech, Not Troops, Drives Modern Military Dominance
America’s military success has never been a function of numbers of troops, it’s all about the use of advanced tech and an almost endless military supply chain
US to Field 2,400 F‑35s, Becoming Fourth‑largest Air Force
The US is planning to build up a fleet of 2400 F-35s, which would make it the 4th largest global air force alone. https://t.co/YAnXK2vCUQ
Kuwait's Force Majeure Signals Growing Supply Chain Risk
Kuwait Declares Force Majeure Due To Middle East Conflict. A BIG force majeure. More continuing of my take that the occurrence of force majeure could become significant as the war continues. A level in the circles of supply chain hell....
Unclear Roles Fuel Conflict in Source-to-Pay Processes
“The Source-to-Pay (S2P) cycle in many orgs. is often fraught w/ internal conflict & misunderstanding. The snags usually center on lack of clarity, ineffectiveness, & poor definition of process responsibilities.” 🔗 https://t.co/gy1EdLnhmk #procurement #purchasing #supplychain https://t.co/7SDiE74WE4
Rising Fuel Costs Push Small Truckers Toward Bankruptcy
Whenever fuel surges like it has, we see a rash of small carrier bankruptcies. Large fleets and big brokers benefit from high fuel prices due to fuel surcharges, smaller truckers get creamed.
Assessing Whether the US Navy Should Seize Iranian Tankers
Should the US Navy Start Targeting & Seizing Iranian Tankers 1⃣Sea Power vs Seapower 2⃣How did the US Torpedo Global Shipping? 3⃣Convoying in the Past 4⃣Current US Naval Situation 5⃣Potential Strategy for the US H/T: @ed_fin @gCaptain @LloydsList @ianellisjones Video: https://t.co/XpwiR2J9Cb