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
Automated Stochastics Metrology Drives Production Decisions at Top-Five Device Maker
Fractilia announced that its FAME 300 stochastic metrology system is now in‑line at a top‑five semiconductor device maker, marking the first full‑scale deployment of automated stochastic control in production. The solution monitors more than 200 metrology steps, generating real‑time SPC charts and lot disposition without human intervention. By embedding FILM‑based measurements into the fab’s host and MES, the customer can capture linewidth roughness, line edge roughness and local CD uniformity instantly. The rollout highlights the industry’s shift from treating stochastics as an R&D issue to a production‑critical metric.
New Chinese Entrant Into the Cape Sector
National Fortune Shipping Group, a Chinese firm incorporated in April 2025, announced the acquisition of two second‑hand capesize bulk carriers—NF Fortune and NF Future—at $18.5 million each. The vessels, the 177,200‑dwt Mikata and the 185,900‑dwt Ally, were built in 2005 and...
Supertails Warehouse Gutted In Bengaluru Fire, Inventory Destroyed
Supertails, a Bengaluru‑based pet‑care marketplace, lost its entire inventory when a fire engulfed three warehouses, including its own, on February 22. The blaze forced the company to cancel its flagship WTF Sale just after recording its highest ever revenue. Within...
Why Retailers Can’t Afford a Bad Delivery Experience in 2026
Retailers now bear direct responsibility for delivery performance, as a UPS Capital 2025 report shows consumer blame shifting from carriers (39 % vs 83 % in 2022) to retailers. Fast delivery ranks above price for 31 % of shoppers, and 85 % of merchants...
Southeastern Gets Stuck in with New Floor Adhesive
Southeastern has replaced its two‑part epoxy floor system with Henkel’s single‑component Teroson MS 9320 SF adhesive for carpet and rubber flooring on train carriages. The new polymer adhesive is spray‑able, meets fire‑safety standards and eliminates on‑site mixing, cutting cure time to 3‑6 hours instead...
Strategic Lithium Reserve Needed to Stabilize Supply
I’ve submitted formal comments into the docket. My core message: supply diversification alone is not enough. If we want durable investment in allied lithium production and processing, we must address price volatility. Lithium’s boom-bust cycles have repeatedly delayed capital formation and midstream...
Free Flexport Atlas Maps Real Ocean Shipping Routes
Container shipping enjoyers will love Flexport Atlas, our new (free to use) interface for browsing the world's ocean network. Search any two ports to see all the actual routes available and their relative transit times. Still in Beta with...
Routing Software Wins LNG Carriers on Crew-First Approach
Knutsen LNG France has selected Syroco Live, an AI‑driven routing platform, for fleet‑wide deployment after a successful 2024 trial on four vessels. The system promises to boost navigation safety, cut fuel consumption by roughly 10% and lower greenhouse‑gas emissions while...
Weaker Dollar Raises Import Costs, Boosts Export Appeal
"When the dollar falls in value... it takes more of our dollars to buy stuff from abroad." That’s the basic math of a weaker currency: imports cost more, and so do the everyday items with imported parts. The upside is...
Petronas Carigali Taps Singapore Firm for Newbuild FPSO
Petronas Carigali awarded a 15‑year firm charter to Singapore‑based OceanSTAR Elite for a new‑build FPSO supporting the Sepat Integrated Redevelopment Project offshore Peninsular Malaysia. OceanSTAR will design, construct, install, operate and maintain the vessel, the third unit using its standardized...
ARENA Advances Industrial Emissions Cuts with $400M Fund
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched the Powering the Regions Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS), a $400 million fund to cut greenhouse‑gas emissions from regional industrial facilities. The program, part of the broader Powering the Regions Fund, supports projects that...
5 Ways to Make Trusted Data the Backbone of Your Sustainable Supply Chains
Companies face mounting sustainability regulations and consumer scrutiny, yet their legacy supply‑chain systems hold fragmented, inconsistent product data. The article outlines five actions—gaining product visibility, feeding tools with clean inputs, extending traceability beyond distribution, building compliance‑ready data infrastructure, and treating...
CSIRO and AMRF Connect Launch Advanced Manufacturing Program for SMEs
CSIRO has teamed with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) Connect to launch "Innovate to Grow: Advanced Manufacturing," a free eight‑week online program aimed at Australian SMEs. The initiative blends self‑paced learning, expert coaching and peer discussion to help firms...
The Key Components of a Vendor Relationship Management Framework
The rise of distributed supply chains has turned vendors into ongoing operational dependencies, prompting the need for a structured Vendor Relationship Management (VRM) framework. By distinguishing day‑to‑day vendor management from strategic Supplier Relationship Management, companies can ensure reliability while fostering...
Feds Renew Wilson Logistics Waiver, Launch Training Data Inquiry
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has renewed Wilson Logistics' exemption allowing commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders to serve as team drivers without a front‑seat trainer, extending the waiver through February 2031. The renewal adds a 30‑day limit on...
Gunderson Marine & Iron’s McMurdo Docking Pier Arrives in Antarctica
Gunderson Marine & Iron’s McMurdo Docking Pier has reached Antarctica after a 9,159‑nautical‑mile, 69‑day tow from the Pacific Northwest. The structure, designed by Glosten for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, endured 30‑foot seas and route adjustments to avoid Southern...
JD Sports Expands RFID Across Europe
JD Sports has signed a multiyear agreement with Checkpoint Systems to deploy the ItemOptix RFID platform across its European footprint, beginning with more than 400 UK and Ireland stores by the end of 2024 and scaling to nearly 1,000 locations...
Australian-Made AS9 Huntsman Howitzers Roll Off Geelong Production Line
The first Australian‑made AS9 Huntsman self‑propelled howitzers have rolled off the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Geelong, marking the next phase of the LAND 8116 programme. The debut follows an earlier batch built in South Korea and initiates...
PAC Strapping Products to Showcase Innovative Strapping Solutions at PACK EXPO East 2026
PAC Strapping Products will exhibit at PACK EXPO East 2026, showcasing its SM‑65 FA fully automatic strapping machine, the DSP‑TOOL ergonomic cart, and a range of polyester strapping solutions. The company will also preview a new horizontal strapping machine with an...
Altech Introduces New Pluggable Terminal Block Range
Altech Corporation has launched a new range of pluggable terminal blocks designed for rapid, tool‑free installations and field wiring. The hybrid design merges spring‑clamp security with plug‑in convenience, offering instant connections that resist vibration and eliminate common assembly errors. Blocks...
La Trobe Research Partnership Scales Food Productivity System to Commercial Level
La Trobe University, together with Breakthrough Victoria’s Eagle Fund, has moved its YieldX hydroponic system from lab to commercial scale. The technology now runs in a 4,000‑square‑metre greenhouse at Butler Market Gardens, capable of producing up to one million basil...
Infios Integrates Robots, Software to Help Dental City Triple Pickup Rates
Dental City, a 30‑year dental supply distributor, partnered with Infios to embed Locus Robotics autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) into its warehouse management system. Within three months the 40,000‑sq‑ft facility saw pick rates triple, enabling same‑day fulfillment and a two‑day nationwide...
Due Diligence Required as More Biofuel Feedstocks Used
NorthStandard released a white paper outlining the rapid uptake of biofuels in commercial shipping, noting a twelve‑fold increase in testing volumes to over 1 million MT between 2021 and 2025. Current 5‑10% bio‑blend usage satisfies the 2022 FuelEU Maritime requirement, but upcoming...
Control System Cyber Incidents and Network Breaches Are “Apples and Oranges”
Joe Weiss argues that network‑focused breach statistics, such as those in the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Report, do not capture the reality of control‑system cyber incidents. While IT and OT network teams track data loss, ransomware and malicious traffic, control‑system...
Project44 Launches AI Agent to Automate Freight Procurement
Project44 has introduced an AI Freight Procurement Agent within its Intelligent Transportation Management System to automate carrier selection, rate benchmarking, and negotiations across multiple modes. The agent replaces periodic bid cycles with continuous, AI‑driven sourcing using live market data, and...
Coco Robotics Launches New Autonomous Robots for Urban Deliveries
Coco Robotics unveiled Coco 2, its next‑generation autonomous delivery robot that moves beyond sidewalks into bike lanes and permitted roadways. The new platform halves delivery times and triples uptime, thanks to upgraded edge‑computing hardware and a dataset of millions of...
How to Find US-Based Suppliers
American manufacturers are accelerating reshoring to cut costs, shorten lead times, and mitigate geopolitical risk. Xometry’s 2026 outlook shows 29% have reshored and 45% are actively planning it, citing tariffs and rising costs as primary motivators. Thomas, with a 125‑year...
US Chipmakers Turn to Sunrise Metals Amid Scandium Shortage
U.S. semiconductor manufacturers are feeling the pinch from Chinese restrictions on scandium exports, @Reuters reports, underscoring the importance of @SunriseMetals’ Syerston Scandium Project as an essential supplier to key U.S. industries. “U.S. chipmakers have experienced delays in receiving new scandium export licenses from...
To Deliver Speed to Exporters Customs Rules Must Be Recast: Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava
Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava urged a fundamental recasting of India’s customs rules to deliver speed and certainty for exporters. He highlighted that expanding trade volumes, deeper global value‑chain integration, and a booming digital commerce ecosystem demand more efficient, transparent procedures....
Shadow Partners: China’s Collaboration with Terrorist Groups to Plunder Venezuela’s Strategic Minerals (Dialogo Americas – February 24, 2026)
Investigative reporting reveals that Chinese firms are profiting from the illicit extraction of Venezuela’s “black sands” – coltan, niobium and tin – by partnering with armed groups. The minerals travel via river and land routes into Colombia, where fraudulent paperwork...
AM I Navigator and Leading Minds Align Efforts Under a New Alliance
The Additive Manufacturing Alliance, uniting the AM I Navigator and Leading Minds, was announced at AMS 2026 to accelerate industrial adoption of additive manufacturing. The partnership will coordinate knowledge exchange, joint industry communication, and practical support for companies moving from pilot projects to...
Solving Global Supply Chain Complexity Using Interconnected Technology Solutions
The upcoming webinar, hosted on March 26, 2026, tackles the persistent challenges of fragmented supply‑chain systems, manual bottlenecks, and limited financial visibility. Featuring Infios Corporate Vice President Alan D. Rowlett, PhD, the session will demonstrate how interconnected technology can automate multimodal shipments, sync...
Reach Subsea Lands Equinor Pipeline Survey Deal
Norwegian offshore services firm Reach Subsea has been awarded a contract by Equinor, on behalf of Gassco, to conduct external inspections of roughly 3,500 km of subsea pipelines. The inspections will span Gassco’s network in Norwegian waters and export routes to...
E-Com Survey: Growth Is Inseparable From Operational Maturity
The 2026 State of Commerce Ops Report by Linnworks shows that mid‑market e‑commerce retailers in the U.K. and U.S. are experiencing robust year‑over‑year growth, with nearly 90% reporting moderate to significant expansion. However, the survey highlights that scalability hinges on...
7 Haulage and Logistics Startups Reshaping Freight in 2026
Global logistics generated over $11 trillion in 2023 but remains largely manual, prompting a surge of tech‑driven startups. Seven firms—Aurora Innovation, Flexport, Gatik, Sennder, HydroHaul, Faramove, and project44—are scaling autonomous trucks, AI routing, hydrogen fuel, and real‑time visibility platforms. Collectively they...
Burger King’s AI “Patty” Moves AI Into Frontline Execution
Burger King is piloting an AI assistant named “Patty” inside employee headsets, embedding it within the BK Assistant platform to guide crew members, monitor equipment, and analyze service language. The system connects to the cloud‑based point‑of‑sale, enabling near‑real‑time inventory updates,...
Biden’s Green New Deal Supercharged Manufacturing Construction in USA, Trump Killing It
The Inflation Reduction Act and accompanying Bipartisan Infrastructure Law sparked a massive reshoring wave, tripling U.S. manufacturing construction spending between 2021 and 2024. The legislation attracted EV battery, solar, and other cleantech projects, creating a surge in blue‑collar jobs. Following...
Intermodal Volumes See 5.9% Annual January Decline, Reports IANA
Intermodal Association of North America reported January 2026 intermodal volumes dropped 5.9% year‑over‑year to 1.47 million units, with trailers down 7.2% and ISO containers down 8.9%. The decline follows a series of monthly drops after a modest 2.4% gain in September...
Intel Foundry Services Head Leaves For Qualcomm Supply Chain Post
Intel has announced that Kevin O'Buckley, senior vice president and general manager of Intel Foundry Services, will leave to become Qualcomm’s vice president of global operations and supply chain. O'Buckley, who joined Intel in May 2024, was the third leader...
Brokers Seek DAT Alternative as Prices Soar, Truckstop Leads
There isn't a day that goes by where we don't hear that a large broker is trying to figure out how to fire DAT. A never ending cycle of subscription rate increases, combined with an arrogance in how they treat...
North America's Top Overlooked Manufacturing Problem Exposed
We are digging into the Number #1 overlooked problem in Manufacturing today in North America. Stream now: 🔗 https://t.co/Xg07jrZJ0Y 📽️ https://t.co/4kW0s2lFun 🔗 https://t.co/DmYp21NDA3 https://t.co/bHdNCNIzwg
CSconnected Announces £1m Final Call for Supply Chain Development Programme
CSconnected, the world’s first compound‑semiconductor cluster, has launched the fourth and final £1 million round of its Supply Chain Development Programme, backed by the Strength in Places Fund and Cardiff Capital Region. The call invites UK‑based firms, especially those in South...
Flexport Unveils 2026 Winter AI for Global Trade
I just presented Flexport's latest AI for global trade in our 2026 Winter Release. Full video: https://t.co/0NmlfAwqFH
US Tariff Cut Could Shift China Supply Chains
Lower tariff by US on Chinese goods. What will it mean to import supply chains? And to logistics? Especially container lines? A lot? Or not? Given soft CNY. @Lingling_Wei
Saertex Expands Distribution Network in Turkey with Neva Composites
Saertex has partnered with Neva Composites to expand its Turkish distribution network, giving local customers direct access to high‑quality multiaxial glass, carbon and natural‑fiber fabrics. The move strengthens Saertex’s presence in marine, aerospace and automotive sectors across Turkey. In parallel,...
Supreme Court Likely Blocks Refunds of Illegal Tariff Payments
NEW from me & @CatoInstitute colleagues, a deep-dive primer on IEEPA tariff refunds and what probably (unfortunately) comes next: "Sore Losers at the Supreme Court: The Government Doesn’t Want to Pay Back Unlawful Tariff Money After All" https://t.co/jHI5Jkd11d https://t.co/0mURjfiJNt
Bloomberg's Messaging Network Remains Irreplaceable Despite Alternatives
There are plenty of offerings that have the same functionality and data as Bloomberg. But thr Bloomberg network (messaging) is the glue. No AI can replace that.
Cass, Caspian Partner to Tackle Tariff Costs
Cass Information Systems announced a partnership with AI‑enabled tariff specialist Caspian to embed advanced customs audit and refund capabilities into its freight‑payment platform. The integration adds AI‑driven HTS modeling, detailed audit functions, and support for post‑summary corrections, protests, and duty‑drawback...
Maersk Launches Real-Time Carrier Performance Portal for Shippers
Maersk E-Commerce, a parcel delivery service from Maersk recently launched a customer portal enabling clients to monitor carrier performance in real time, according to Sam Coiro, head of Maersk E-Commerce, North America. More new capabilities coming....🤔
Flexport Winter 2026 Tech Release Live at 8 Am PT
I'm presenting Flexport's Winter 2026 Tech Release at 8 am PT (in 10 minutes). Watch live at this link, and then I'll be taking live questions from the audience after the presentation: https://t.co/BNfvF8nm6x