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
Norfolk Southern, CMA CGM Partner on Intermodal Service
Norfolk Southern and global carrier CMA CGM have launched a new intermodal service linking the Midwest to the West Coast, using 40‑foot high‑cube containers and a door‑to‑door model. Managed by Norfolk Southern’s Triple Crown Services, the offering moves freight from Cleveland, Detroit and Columbus to Los Angeles and Seattle while keeping containers on the rail network for the full journey. Capacity and pricing are posted on the railroad’s Modal‑X platform, simplifying transactions for shippers and brokers. The launch comes as Norfolk Southern’s planned merger with Union Pacific faces regulatory delays, highlighting the railroad’s focus on organic service innovation.
IAG Cargo Reports Steady 2025 Performance
IAG Cargo posted a stable financial result for the year ended 31 December 2025, with commercial revenues edging higher and cargo volumes roughly matching 2024 levels. Cargo tonne‑kilometres (CTKs) showed modest growth while overall yield remained flat, underscoring resilience amid shifting trade...
Damen Delivers Multi Cat 3113 Vessel to Leask Marine
Damen Shipyards delivered the Multi Cat 3113 vessel, named C‑Trojan, to Leask Marine after a six‑week build using a proven stock hull. The vessel features a DP1 dynamic positioning system, a four‑point mooring arrangement, and a re‑engineered layout that separates work...
MP's "Strong" Quarter: Accelerated Production, Long-Term Agreements With Major Tech Companies
MP Materials posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $52.7 million and net income of $9.4 million, buoyed by a U.S. Department of War price‑floor agreement. The company recorded a 12% year‑over‑year increase in rare‑earth oxide concentrate, producing a record 50,692 metric tons, and more...
Maersk Pulls U.S., Other Sailings From Red Sea
Maersk announced it will reroute several U.S. and other services from the Red Sea to the Cape of Good Hope, citing unforeseen security constraints in the region. The changes affect both ME11 and MECL routes, with one westbound and two...
Illinois Trucking Fraud: State Insurers Allow Under‑insured Carriers
Trucking has become a cesspool of fraud - this time involving the State of Illinois and its insurance pool. Carriers are criminally under insured and the state agency is aware of it. Often, they will own many trucks and only...
Wind OEMs Pin Hopes on Data Center Energy Demands Amid US Setbacks
U.S. data‑center construction is driving a surge in electricity demand, giving wind turbine OEMs a fresh growth catalyst despite a hostile regulatory environment. German onshore specialist Nordex projects $11 billion in 2025 orders, while Danish Vestas expects revenue of $24‑26 billion in...
Purafy and Electromaax Announce Strategic Partnership
Purafy Clean Technologies and Electromaax have formed a strategic partnership to produce and distribute the Purafy Portage, a portable water purification and desalination system. Electromaax will handle manufacturing and leverage its global marine distribution network, while Purafy supplies graphene‑enhanced ultrafiltration...
How to Survive the (Most Recent) Hardware Crunch
The AI‑driven surge in datacenter demand has pushed RAM prices up threefold, delaying new products like the Steam Machine and threatening hardware makers. iFixit advises a scrappy approach: extend device life, buy certified refurbished or used parts, and harvest components...
Supreme Court Nullifies IEEPA Tariffs—Use Free AI Auditor
The Supreme Court ruled on Feb 20th that IEEPA tariffs were invalid. CBP stopped charging them on Feb 24th. Expect lawsuits are already filed challenging the tariffs for entries dated Feb 20-23rd. But I expect those won’t actually matter as...
Live Animal Logistics Enters the Age of Embedded Compliance
Live animal transport, a niche yet highly regulated air cargo segment, is facing a surge in regulatory intensity, highlighted by the CDC's 2024 dog‑import rule with a three‑month rollout. IATA introduced LAR Verify, a digital platform that delivers real‑time, shipment‑specific...
Big Dave’s Locks in Supply Chain Partnerships to Supercharge Expansion
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks announced strategic supply‑chain partnerships with Amoroso’s Baking Co. and Philly’s Best Steak Company to support its national franchise rollout. Amoroso’s will supply a custom‑cut baguette, while Philly’s Best becomes the exclusive, Halal‑certified protein provider, standardizing menu quality...
Why Sourcing Shifts Are Easier Said than Done when Battling Tariffs
Tariff volatility under the Trump administration is forcing U.S. brands to rethink where they source products. Executives like Brooklinen's COO note that shifting production to a new country takes months, not weeks, and domestic cotton supplies are limited. Companies are...
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk Unveil 2026 Changes to Gemini Network
Shipping giants Hapag‑Lloyd and Maersk announced service adjustments to their joint Gemini network effective April 2026, after a year of over 90% schedule reliability. The North Europe corridor will see NE2 adding Antwerp, NE3 adding a Baltic loop, and Yantian...
Sometimes Staying Is the only Viable Choice
In middle school we learned about the fall of the Shah and the Iran hostage crisis. I remember the lesson vividly because the teacher was frustrated I asked so many questions. I just could not wrap my head around civilian men with...
Midwest Freight Surge Signals Major Shift From Coastal Decline
Freight from the midwest and rustbelt have been on fire, while the coastal cities have been very quiet. SONAR has been picking this up for the past two months - and it is a massive shift from the freight economy...
Avanti West Coast Trials World First Rail Timetable Tool to Improve Reliability
Avanti West Coast has begun trialling a world‑first timetable optimisation tool created by the Centre for Modelling and Simulation. The system lets operators input variables such as speed restrictions, line closures or incidents and instantly produces fully optimised schedule alternatives....
Gatineau Tram Project to Be Reviewed
Quebec’s Mobility Infra Québec (MIQ) has been commissioned to review the TramGO project, a 24‑km Y‑shaped light‑rail line that would connect western and central Gatineau with Ottawa. MIQ has a nine‑month mandate to refresh existing studies, identify cost‑saving measures, and...
Flatbed Trucking Signals Manufacturing Revival Surge
I have zero doubt that we are seeing manufacturing starting to rip. Flatbed is naturally the first mode to signal it, as flatbeds haul heavy industrial raw materials. We talked about greenshoots a few weeks ago, and it was exciting, but...
War Historically Fuels U.S. Trucking Demand
I was asked if a war with Iran would be bad for the trucking market. We looked at the data and have yet to find a single American military engagement in the past 50 years that didn’t stimulate goods movement across...
China Is Playing the Long Game over Iran
China is maintaining a cautious diplomatic stance toward Iran despite a 25‑year strategic partnership and its role as Tehran’s primary oil buyer, accounting for over 80% of Iranian exports in 2025. Beijing publicly urges restraint and dialogue while opposing Iran’s...
Thin Retail Margins Force Sellers to Pass Tariffs
"Many sellers simply don’t have much of a choice but to pass on the cost of tariffs. 'At a certain point—because retail is, as you know, a mid-single digit operating margin business—if people’s costs go up by 10%, there aren’t...
Trump Trade Anger Boosts Canadian Domestic Spending and Tourism
Trade is among people, and retaliation can be too: "Anger over President Trump’s trade policy has fueled a notable increase in Canadian spending on domestic products and local tourism, according to research from the Bank of Canada." https://t.co/Nmzo5Yn2ay
Textile Exchange Unveils Three-Step Pathway for Action Cohort Members
Textile Exchange launched a three‑step Action Cohort pathway to accelerate responsible raw material production. Step one introduces voluntary data reporting in 2026, becoming mandatory for brands and retailers in 2027; step two pushes members to source more from verified preferred...
Post‑July Tariff Uncertainty May Stall Business Investments
"Meanwhile, new questions about what the tariff regime will look like after July, when Trump’s new global duties expire, could again put many business investments on hold, limiting the productive effect of any more immediate influx of cash." https://t.co/PeFBYyWQqH https://t.co/0oVZHlSMF9
EU Mercosur Deal Boosts Traders Amid Uncertainty
This is indeed good news. It will enable traders ot take advantage of preferential rates at a time of uncertainty and disruption.
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “Category Management Evolves Into Category Intelligence”
Andrew Bartolini, founder of Ardent Partners, has launched a 45‑second video series called Procurement 2026, spotlighting the shift from traditional category management to what he calls Category Intelligence. The latest clip explains how AI‑driven analytics and real‑time market data are turning...
Meet Noah Graff: Used Machinery Expert on Swarfcast
Discover the world of used machinery sales with 𝐍𝐨𝐚𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟, a seasoned expert in used machinery and host of 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭! Stream now: 🔗 https://t.co/2CnEZKK8BY 📽️ https://t.co/LgvpTRWoMQ 🔗 https://t.co/DmYp21NDA3 #Manufacturing #UsedMachinery https://t.co/gir47VFgcZ
Early KNX Investors Would See 50% Gains, Attracting Hedge Funds
If you had bought KNX when we first started to talk about the freight market movement due to the compliance crackdown, you’d be up 50%. That is why SONAR’s fastest growing clients are financial firms and hedge funds. https://t.co/nW6G2BWC6n
Tesla Powerwall Distribution Expands in Australia
Tesla is expanding its energy portfolio worldwide. Supply Partners Group will begin distributing Tesla Powerwall units in Australia by mid‑March 2026, bolstering residential storage amid rebates and competitive pricing. In the United States, Tesla is advancing a $200 million Megapack Megafactory...
Chicago Trucking Rejection Rate Hits 18.19%, Conditions Tighten
Trucking conditions out of Chicago continue to tighten, with rejection levels now at 18.19% https://t.co/Hrh76IsdXW
Greece: Real-Time Satellite Train Tracking System Goes Live on railway.gov.gr
Greece launched a high‑precision, satellite‑based train‑tracking platform on railway.gov.gr on 26 February 2026, initially covering the Athens‑Thessaloniki corridor and expanding to the full network by the end of April. The system combines HEPOS and European Galileo satellites to deliver centimetre‑level accuracy,...
Munro Footwear Group Goes Live with Fluent Order Management, Supported by Amblique
Munro Footwear Group (MFG) has launched Fluent Order Management, backed by Amblique, to unify inventory and fulfillment across its 240+ stores, digital channels and distribution centres. The Distributed Order Management system provides a universal inventory view, ship‑from‑store capability and configurable...
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Achieves a Record Performance in 2025
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding posted a record FY 2025, with revenue climbing 7.4% to RMB 28.5 billion and gross profit jumping 28.3% to RMB 9.8 billion. The core shipbuilding division generated RMB 26.8 billion, up 6.4%, while the orderbook swelled to $22.4 billion for 245 vessels. Shipping‑related revenue slipped 8.1%...
Nurminen Logistics Reports a Financially Robust 2025 Despite Weak Markets
Nurminen Logistics posted a solid 2025 despite weak macro conditions, growing net sales 4.4% to €109.4 million and delivering €18.3 million comparable EBITA. Rail became the engine of growth, with sales climbing to €78.2 million and representing 71.5% of group revenue after the...
VLCC Rates – How High and for How Long?
The crude tanker market is experiencing a sharp surge, with VLCC spot hires topping $200,000 per day and one‑year time‑charter equivalents reaching $135,000. Baltic Exchange data show composite VLCC rates near $169,000 daily, while International Seaways (INSW) reported Q4 2025...
Amtrak: New Strategy for Replacing Rolling Stock
Amtrak announced a revised rolling‑stock strategy that will standardize all long‑distance trains on single‑level cars, abandoning the earlier double‑deck proposal. The new procurement will invite competitive bids, aiming to deliver the first new passenger cars in the early 2030s while...
India’s Big Plans for Its Dedicated Freight Corridor
India is fast‑tracking the 2,100‑km Dankuni–Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor, an east‑west rail link that will connect the manufacturing hub of West Bengal with Gujarat’s industrial belt. The Railway Board has ordered an updated Detailed Project Report with revised cost estimates,...
Edeka Limits Purchases From Procter & Gamble and Iglo
German retailer Edeka has cut back orders from Procter & Gamble and Iglo amid ongoing price negotiations, leaving several product categories temporarily undersupplied. The reduction spans household staples such as dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, and frozen fish, as well as personal...
Treasury Adapts as AI and Tariffs Reshape Supply Chains
Treasury teams are confronting a new era where AI, blockchain and tariff volatility are reshaping supply‑chain finance. A Citi Institute report finds 36% of large corporates now use AI in trade, with 72% seeking working‑capital gains and liquidity release. Tariff...
Electric Vehicles and Industrial Policy Could Transform African Economies
African nations sit atop a critical share of the world’s cobalt and other minerals essential for electric‑vehicle batteries, yet most of the value is still captured abroad. The author argues that proactive industrial policy—mirroring China’s use of special economic zones,...
Aviation Training and Operations Readiness Lead
Wing, Alphabet’s drone‑delivery arm, is hiring a remote Aviation Training & Operations Readiness Lead to steer its rapidly expanding flight‑operations program. The role will oversee training, operational evaluations, and the transition to Part 108‑compliant, highly automated deliveries across two continents. Reporting...
Freight Traffic Starts Along New Budapest-Belgrade Line
Regular freight traffic began at dawn on 27 February along the new Budapest‑Belgrade railway, officially linking Hungary’s and Serbia’s capitals with modern infrastructure. The €4 billion line was largely financed by Chinese lenders, including the Export‑Import Bank, and built by Chinese‑Hungarian consortia....
MHI Names 2026 Innovation Award Finalists in Advance of MODEX
MHI announced the finalists for its 2026 Innovation Awards ahead of MODEX, after receiving 220 product submissions. Eight industry judges narrowed the field to three finalists in each of four categories: Best New Innovation, Best Robotics Innovation, Best IT Innovation,...
CMA CGM Fills Gap Between Japan and Europe
France’s CMA CGM has introduced Ocean Rise Express, a weekly direct service that links Japan and South China with North Europe. The route is operated solely by CMA CGM using a fleet of fourteen 7,000‑to‑10,000 TEU vessels, calling ports such as Kobe, Yokohama,...
Waiting for the Next Cycle Could Sink Your Shipping Strategy
Shipping is undergoing a structural reset as geopolitics forces trade routes to shift, turning volatility into a permanent operating condition. The Red Sea crisis and sanctions on Russian energy demonstrated how quickly voyages lengthen and insurance costs rise, exposing owners...
Geospatial Platforms and Location Based Services: Powering NextGen E-Commerce and Retail Business
At GeoBuiz Summit 2026, a panel of geospatial leaders highlighted how location intelligence is becoming the backbone of next‑generation e‑commerce and retail. They discussed the use of trusted geospatial data, AI‑driven analytics, and platform integration to optimize store networks, site...
$6.9M Boost for Australian Manufacturing of Printed Solar and Semiconductors
The Australian Government has allocated $6.9 million through its Industry Growth Program to accelerate manufacturing‑focused innovation. Spark3D will receive $4.8 million to commercialise the Achyon semiconductor packaging tool, while Kardinia Energy secures $2.1 million to launch a pilot printed‑solar production line. Both projects...
Can We Build Data Centers Fast Enough? | Episode 3 - Live at KickStart Europe 2026
In this live episode from KickStart Europe, Greenscale’s senior procurement director Miriam van Koperen and Unica Data Centers’ VP of sales and marketing Luke Spin discuss the intense pressure to deliver data centers within 12‑14 months, highlighting supply‑chain bottlenecks, the need for...
Codelco and Rio Tinto Strengthen Major Projects Development and Execution Plan in Chile
Codelco and Rio Tinto signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the BMO Global Metals conference to create a strategic framework for joint mining projects in Chile. The MoU aims to blend Codelco’s local leadership with Rio Tinto’s global project‑execution expertise, targeting faster...