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
Interlocking Three Inputs for Pump Logic: PLC Tia Portal
The article details a PLC program built in Siemens TIA Portal that uses latching and interlock logic to control a single pump via three RUN buttons. Pressing START sets a SYSTEM_ON memory bit, enabling the RUN inputs while STOP clears it. Each RUN button lights a dedicated lamp and latches its state, but interlocks prevent any other RUN button from activating simultaneously. The pump output energizes when any lamp is on, ensuring exclusive control.
Trump Admin Loses Courts, Stalls Billion‑dollar Refunds
The Trump administration collected billions in IEEPA tariff money from US companies. They LOST in 3 different courts, including SCOTUS. And now they're trying to stall refunds. I wish I could say I was surprised. 🙄
War Dept Flags Company Risk on X Before Notification
the Secretary of War announced a supply chain risk designation against an American company… on X… before telling the company https://t.co/u4gAaIwX2L
Port of Auckland Posts Strong First Half Results for FY26
Port of Auckland reported a strong first‑half FY26 performance, posting NZD 204.3 million in revenue, a 4.5% increase year‑on‑year. Underlying net profit after tax rose 28.1% to NZD 53.8 million, prompting an interim NZD 26 million dividend to Auckland Council. Volume growth drove results, with...
Commercial Space Logistics Market Analysis 2026
The 2026 commercial space logistics market now comprises three segments—ISS cargo resupply, lunar payload delivery, and orbital transfer services—each with distinct business models and risk profiles. As the International Space Station approaches deorbit around 2030, providers are scrambling for post‑ISS...
What Is Backlog Inventory? Causes and How to Manage It (2026)
The article defines backlog inventory as sold but unshipped stock and explains how it differs from back orders and overall order backlogs. It outlines four primary causes—demand spikes, supply delays, operational issues, and routing errors—and quantifies the financial risk of...
Trump Misidentifies Greek Tanker as Venezuelan Vessel
He's standing in front of the MT Cap Corpus Christi, a Greek-flagged crude oil tanker that is neither sanctioned nor seized. It also didn't visit Venezuela recently. Grok says it arrived in Corpus Christi on Feb 26 from Freeport, Bahamas (Feb...
FMCSA Spotlights Trucking’s Multi-Million Dollar Insurance Gap
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2026 report warns that the trucking industry faces a massive insurance gap. While the number of active interstate carriers fell to 456,227, the median "nuclear" verdict for crashes jumped to $51 million, far exceeding the...
Ocean of Capital Chasing Trains
The rail industry is experiencing a wave of liquidity as infrastructure funds, insurance companies, and private‑equity firms pour billions into railcar and locomotive financing. Traditional tax‑leveraged leases are being replaced by long‑horizon passive capital and CDO‑structured debt, reshaping the capital...
Federal Court Dismisses ILA Complaint over Virginia Rail Cranes
A federal court dismissed the International Longshoremen’s Association’s lawsuit claiming the Virginia Ports Authority violated national labor law by installing automated yard cranes without union notification. The VPA, which filed a motion to dismiss in October 2025, argued the union...
Sophus Technology to Showcase Quantum Solver Delivering Faster Optimization
Sophus Technology will unveil its Quantum Solver in a March 10 webinar, promising optimization speeds 50‑to‑100 times faster than current solvers. The quantum‑inspired platform enables full‑fidelity supply‑chain models, eliminating the need for simplifications that compromise accuracy. By handling daily production planning and...
Cybersecurity and AI in the Era of Home-Based Care Logistics
Kenco’s vice‑president of life sciences, Tim McClatchy, detailed how the firm is hardening cybersecurity across its manufacturer‑to‑home delivery network while deploying AI to streamline labor planning and route optimization. He explained the specific encryption and verification steps used at each...
Katana Cloud Inventory Review 2026: The Honest Guide for Shopify Brands That Make What They Sell
Katana positions itself as the only Shopify‑native cloud inventory and manufacturing platform, unifying real‑time inventory, production planning, and shop‑floor execution. It targets Shopify brands that make their own products, charging a $299 per‑month Core plan plus optional add‑ons and a $2,000...
Maritime Legal Actions and Market Shifts Highlighted
This week’s Dispatch: 'Hospital Ship Head Fake' • DOJ moves to forfeit the M/T Skipper + $150M cargo • Another Venezuela-linked tanker boarded in the Indian Ocean • Mercy AIS points Panama Canal, not Greenland • A decade to US LNG dominance • Tariff...
US rPET Demand Under Sustained Pressure: PRC
US recycled PET (rPET) demand remains weak, prompting concerns at the Plastics Recycling Conference. The recent shutdown of Evergreen Recycling’s Ohio and New York plants cuts domestic processing capacity by roughly 16%, tightening an already strained market. Low‑priced imports and abundant...
Apple to Purchase 100M Chips From Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) Arizona Facility
Apple announced it will purchase more than 100 million advanced chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) at the company’s Arizona fab, marking a sizable increase over its 2025 orders. The iPhone maker also disclosed sourcing over 20 billion U.S.-made chips from...
Maersk Ground Freight to Open Up to 7 More Facilities in 2026
Maersk Ground Freight announced plans to open five to seven additional U.S. facilities in 2026, following the January launch of its 165,000‑square‑foot Fontana, California hub. The Fontana terminal, featuring 22 docks, is expected to cut turnaround times by up to...
Home Depot Launches Real-Time Delivery Tracking for Large Items
Home Depot has introduced real‑time delivery tracking for all large‑item orders, expanding a feature previously limited to small parcels. The rollout leverages handheld devices used by drivers to log checkpoints, giving customers live visibility into the status of bulky shipments...
New Legislation Addresses Various Supply Chain Issues Impacting U.S. Freight and Highways
Senator Todd Young introduced the Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability (SAFER) Transport Act to tackle freight fraud, theft, and safety on U.S. highways. The bill mandates a freight fraud advisory committee, eliminates MC numbers in favor of a single...
From Bottleneck to Breakthrough: Why Procurement Is the Utility Industry’s Critical Capacity Builder
Utilities face a 25% rise in electricity demand by 2030 and 78% by 2050, straining aging grids and climate‑driven disruptions. Capital spending is soaring, with $178 billion allocated in 2024 and projected to hit $220.7 billion by 2026, yet tariffs, shortages, and...
Matson Q4 Ocean Profit Stable
Matson reported marginally weaker fourth‑quarter results as container volumes slipped 2.3% year‑over‑year, driven by a 7.2% drop in China shipments amid ongoing trade‑war pressures. Ocean operating income dipped to $136 million on revenue of $704.2 million, but the company was partially offset...
Best Manufacturing and Packaging Automation Companies in 2026
Factory floors in 2026 are shifting from basic automation to intelligent, software‑defined systems. The article ranks the top five automation vendors—Hefestus, Rockwell Automation, Siemens Digital Industries, ABB Robotics, and Fanuc—highlighting each firm’s niche strengths such as high‑precision packaging, edge computing,...
Third Purus Daughter Craft Undergoes Final Outfitting, Sea Trials to Come
Daughter Craft No. 3, commissioned by Purus, is in final outfitting ahead of sea trials, with Volvo Penta IPS drives now installed. The vessel features IMO Tier 3 exhaust after‑treatment to curb emissions and has undergone extensive CFD and tank testing for optimal...
During Lula’s Visit, South Korea and Brazil Agree to Revive Mercosur Trade Talks
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Seoul, upgrading the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and signing ten MOUs across AI, biotech, agriculture, health and security. The summit’s headline outcome was the decision to revive stalled Mercosur free‑trade...
Indian Register of Shipping Launches First Defence Export Project
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has launched its first defence export project, delivering a floating dry dock to the Sri Lanka Navy. The dock, constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited, was inaugurated on February 19, 2026, with Rear Admiral MDK Wijewardana...
First Brands to Sell Units That Produce Parts for Ford
First Brands Group, currently in a multi‑billion‑dollar bankruptcy, has identified four prospective buyers for its auto‑parts factories, three of which supply components to Ford Motor Co. Ford is prepaying for parts and administrative expenses, a move described by its counsel...
The Arsenal Beneath the Arsenal
Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Cadenazzi joined a live event with Ryan Evans to assess the current state of the U.S. defense industrial base. The dialogue covered a surge of venture‑capital‑backed startups, the dominance of legacy primes, and the urgent...
Galax RTX 5060 Teardown Confirms Micron Joins RTX 50 GDDR7 Supply
A teardown of GALAX’s GeForce RTX 5060 Black OC V2 has revealed Micron‑branded GDDR7 memory, marking the first desktop RTX 50‑series card to use Micron as a third‑party supplier. The Micron MT68A512M32DF chips run at 28 Gbps, identical to the Samsung and SK Hynix parts already...
Catching Up With Tom Burke and His Inductive Automation Pivot
Inductive Automation has appointed Tom Burke, former OPC Foundation leader, as Technology Evangelist. Burke’s background includes roles at Mitsubishi and the CC Link Partners Association, positioning him to champion lightweight messaging standards like MQTT and Sparkplug within Inductive’s platform. The...
NatPower Raises Alarm on UK Shore Power Policy
NatPower Marine warns that the UK’s flagship shore‑power projects in Aberdeen and Portsmouth are faltering because soaring industrial electricity prices and a punitive pricing framework make diesel generators cheaper than grid‑connected power. The company attributes the delays to structural policy...
The Rhenus Group Urges Exporters to Prepare for July’s EU Low-Value Parcel Customs Changes
The Rhenus Group warns UK exporters that, from 1 July 2026, the EU will replace its €150 de‑minimis threshold with a flat €3 customs duty per commodity code for parcels valued at €150 or less. The new model shifts from a value‑based...
Port of Lázaro Cárdenas Opens 2026 with Cargo Growth
The Port of Lázaro Cárdenas opened 2026 with a strong start, handling 2,383,826 tonnes in January – a 6% increase over the same month last year. Containerised cargo dominated, representing 56% of throughput, while TEU volumes jumped 22% to 234,962....
AI Agents and the Future of Global Trade with Alibaba’s Kuo Zhang - Ep. 291
In this episode, Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, explains how the platform’s new AI agent, Axio, is transforming global B2B trade by handling complex sourcing tasks, from interpreting natural‑language requests to managing compliance, logistics, and supplier communication. He highlights real‑world...
Spend as a Signal for Future Readiness
Spend data, traditionally a lagging metric, is being re‑engineered as a forward‑looking signal thanks to AI advancements. Zip’s recent survey of over 1,000 spend management professionals reveals heightened focus on analytics, AI skill demand, and a rapidly diversifying procurement technology...
Making the Case for Change: Orchestration & Procurement Operating Models
The session with ORO Labs executives reframed procurement as an end‑to‑end process rather than a siloed function, emphasizing its impact on user experience, cost savings, risk mitigation, and compliance. Rapid advances in AI and automation are forcing procurement technology stacks...
U.S. Moves to Permanently Seize Sanctioned Tanker ‘Skipper’ and $150M Oil Cargo
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint to permanently seize the motor tanker Skipper and its 1.8‑million‑barrel Venezuelan crude cargo. Authorities seized the vessel off Venezuela in December 2025 after it operated without nationality and falsely claimed...
Serving Up Savings in Food Procurement
Organizations that serve food at scale face rising inflation and supplier pressure. Partnering with a group purchasing organization (GPO) allows them to lock in lower prices, standardize contracts, and streamline budgeting. Marissa Muzik, senior manager at Una, explains how GPOs...
Maritime Alumni Showcase Jacksonville Port Operations
Great couple of days in Jacksonville, Florida. Yesterday I spoke at the @JAXPORT State of the port. That afternoon, classmate of mine from @MaritimeCollege, Captain John Redman took me out for a berth shift on board @McAllisterTugs Janet McAllister under another...
Maersk's Cape Detour Signals Red Sea Recovery Stalls
But, at the sametime, the Red Sea Comeback Falters as Maersk Diverts Ships Back Around Cape https://t.co/r0JWtmKLC4
TikTok Shop Scraps Controversial Shipping Overhaul Under Seller Pressure
TikTok Shop announced on February 17, 2026 that it is pausing the enforcement of a policy that would have eliminated independent shipping for U.S. sellers, keeping the existing fulfillment model in place for now. The original mandate required merchants to...
U.S. Critical Mineral Imports Surge, Few Nations Dominate
America’s net import reliance for critical minerals in 2025, along with the primary countries supplying them between 2021 and 2024 https://t.co/89QwEHKe16 via @visualcap
LNG‑Powered Isla Bella Boosts Puerto Rico’s Dedicated Service
The @TOTE_Maritime Isla Bella inbound to the Blount Island terminal @JAXPORT in Jacksonville, Florida. Fast, small, LNG-fueled containerships on a regular service provides Puerto Rico with a dedicated service; backed by @CrowleyMaritime and @TrailerBridge. https://t.co/LSImzznkcf
CATL and BMW Prepare for Upcoming Battery Passport
Chinese battery giant CATL and German automaker BMW have signed a letter of intent to deepen their partnership, targeting data exchange for the EU battery passport. The two will run pilot projects using the Catena‑X open data ecosystem to enable...
CEOs Must Prioritize Talent over AI Rollout Hype
“AI rollout is the focus for most leaders at the moment—but it may not be the right priority.” CEOs should be scrutinizing “the capability of the people who are going to be dealing with the AI.” Many good points here via @FT. #technology...
Maersk Reroutes Around Cape, Pushing Rates Higher
Red Sea Comeback Falters as Maersk Diverts Ships Back Around Cape. Throw in the chance of a US war with Iran. Their Houthi friends. And staying with the longer transit and what that means to container line rates and excess...
Norway Landslide that Killed Railway Worker Was Triggered by Ground Stabilisation Works
An engineering investigation found that lime‑cement pile installation triggered the quick‑clay landslide at Nesvatnet, Norway, on 30 August 2025, killing one railway worker. The work had just placed the 29th pile when high‑pressure air entered a permeable sand layer, raising pore pressure...
This Exchange Will Define IEEPA Tariff History
When we write the definitive history of IEEPA tariffs, this exchange - and what it represents - should get its own chapter.
Tariff Refunds Spark Unexpected Market Reaction
I run a family account that is very light on profanity, but I'm making an exception here because this is highly relevant re: policy - i.e., the market response to tariff refunds - and is also kinda funny https://t.co/W4w9escVzV https://t.co/5sIpIX72ON
Advancing the Enterprise in Volatile Times: Supply Chain as a Source of Reason
Enterprises facing tariff spikes, freight cost surges, and geopolitical fragmentation must separate measurable (quantitative) shocks from structural (qualitative) risks. Leaders gain advantage by tightening controllable levers—pricing discipline, bonded inventory, freight timing, and proactive supplier negotiations—rather than blaming external volatility. A...
Core Wholesale Prices Jump 0.8% in January, Outpacing Forecasts
"Core wholesale prices rose 0.8% in January, much more than expected" https://t.co/LVa2AuC787 "For the full year, core wholesale prices accelerated 3.6%" Big Jan26 drivers: -professional & commercial equipment wholesaling services -Trade services -metals https://t.co/SIuJIRE7bD