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
3 Ways FedEx, UPS Competitors Are Leveling up in 2026
Alternative parcel carriers such as Veho, Gofo, UniUni and Maersk E‑Commerce are intensifying competition with FedEx and UPS in 2026. They are rolling out new tech‑driven features like real‑time performance portals, AI‑optimized FlexSave delivery windows, picture‑proof‑of‑delivery and weekend service. Coverage is expanding rapidly, with Gofo targeting 82% of U.S. addresses and Veho opening hubs in the West. Service quality is also improving through driver‑tracking tools and tighter reliability metrics, fueling a 1,000% volume surge for some players.
4RCargo Launches in Baltics and Names New Regional Manager
Independent General Sales and Service Agent 4RCargo has launched operations in the Baltic region, covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The company appointed Vladislavs Pecevics as regional and product manager, leveraging his 15 years of air‑cargo network and commercial strategy experience....
Rotterdam Congestion Limits Benefit of Second-Half Surge in Imports
The Port of Rotterdam handled 14.2 million TEUs in 2025, marking a 3.1 % increase driven by a strong second‑half surge in Asian imports and expanding trade with North America. Despite this growth, persistent congestion and a carrier‑alliance restructuring forced a notable...
After Hapag-Zim Deal, Premier Alliance May Be Next in the Spotlight
The Hapag‑Lloyd acquisition of Zim adds roughly 2.8 million TEUs to the carrier, cementing its position among the world’s largest shippers. Meanwhile, the Premier Alliance—Ocean Network Express, HMM and Yang Ming—has amassed just over 4.8 million TEUs of existing and ordered capacity. The...
What It Really Means: Bringing the Outside In
Bringing the outside‑in mindset shifts supply‑chain planning from internal, efficiency‑focused metrics to market‑driven signals such as POS and channel data. By integrating external demand information, companies can produce more accurate forecasts, improve service levels, and cut waste. The approach delivers...
New Senate Bill May Double Trucking Rates, Boost Wages
The most significant legislation for freight since deregulation has been introduced in the Senate and could set off a trucking rate super cycle. This would create conditions that would bring back living wages to truck drivers, provide massive incentives to...
DAT January Truckload Volume Index Shows Mixed Volume and Spot Market Rates Readings
The DAT Truckload Volume Index for January 2026 showed mixed results, with dry‑van and refrigerated volumes falling while flatbed volumes rose slightly. Spot market rates increased across all three modes despite the softer load counts. Winter Storm Fern disrupted transport...
Promotional Material: Find Opportunities to Become a Supplier with the Ministry of Defence
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has released a new supplier outreach leaflet titled “Find opportunities to become a supplier with the Ministry of Defence.” The eight‑page PDF (679 KB) and an HTML version outline how businesses can engage with Defence,...
An Insider’s Guide to Small Parcel Shipping with Glenn Gooding
Glenn Gooding, founder of Gooding Supply Chain Advisors, joins Joe Lynch to explain how data‑driven tactics can tame today’s fragmented small‑parcel market. He highlights the "cube‑out" shift where dimensional weight, not scale weight, now drives most e‑commerce shipping costs. Gooding...
TSMC Fuels Taiwan's $70B Quarterly Surplus, 33% GDP
A day that was a long time coming -- TSMC's dominance of chip manufacturing led Taiwan to post a $70b quarterly current account surplus in q4. That is $280b annualized, or a surplus of ~ 33% of GDP Never...
Genicom to Unveil Next-Generation UV Curing Rate Measurement Solution for Smart Factories at AFPE 2026
Genicom will debut its GSE‑CRM01‑S UV curing rate measurement system at AFPE 2026 in Shanghai. The solution promises up to 60 % cost efficiency over conventional meters and delivers real‑time data at 10 Hz. Designed for smart‑factory integration, it supports RS‑232 communication and...
Emerson Announces OPTIMIZE 26 Conference for AspenTech Users
Emerson announced OPTIMIZE™ 26, a four‑day conference for AspenTech users in Houston from May 11‑14, 2026. The event expects 1,300 participants representing more than 50 nations and will spotlight industrial AI, data management, and advanced optimization tools. A new Innovation Zone will...
Iberia’s North and South Concerned About Future Cross-Border Rail
Local and regional leaders in Portugal and Spain are alarmed by the stalled cross‑border high‑speed rail projects linking Porto‑Vigo in the north and Faro‑Seville in the south. The Porto‑Vigo line, originally slated for 2030, now faces a likely 2038 completion...
RRD Details Smart Packaging Implementation
RRD’s 2026 Integrated Packaging Report surveyed 400 packaging, label and supply‑chain leaders, revealing a stark gap between strong awareness of smart packaging and its limited real‑world adoption. While most respondents intend to adopt connected packaging—using RFID, QR codes and IoT...
Samsara Releases Latest-Generation Asset Tag and New Asset Tag XS
Samsara unveiled a next‑generation Bluetooth asset tag and a smaller Asset Tag XS, expanding its IoT tracking portfolio for fleet equipment managers. The tags run on an enhanced Samsara Network that now incorporates Hubble’s 90 million‑device consumer smartphone mesh, boosting indoor...
Why Humanoid Robots May Be the Wrong Bet for Industrial Automation
Humanoid robots captivate investors but inherit the human body’s stability, agility and durability limits. Their ~200 degrees of freedom create mechanical complexity that reduces uptime compared with 6‑DoF industrial arms. Safety assessments under ISO 13849‑1 show that preventing falls requires high...
Irish Startup Manna Becomes the Engine for Uber’s European Aerial Ambitions
Uber Technologies has teamed up with Irish drone startup Manna to launch Europe’s first aerial food‑delivery pilot in Ireland, integrating Manna’s autonomous quadcopter system with the Uber Eats platform. The drones can transport up to 4 kg, travel 50 mph and deliver...
Sculpteo Launches On-Demand HP Metal Jet Binder Service to Create 3D-Printed Metal Parts at Scale
Sculpteo announced the launch of an on‑demand HP Metal Jet binder‑jetting service, extending its metal portfolio across Europe and the United States. The offering combines HP’s high‑throughput printing, debinding and sintering workflow to deliver production‑grade metal parts from single prototypes...
Nuclear Fuel: The Most Sophisticated Industrial Product You've Never Learned About
In this episode, host decouple talks with nuclear fuel expert Michael Seeley about the unique nature of nuclear fuel, its manufacturing, and the evolution of fuel reliability. They explain how uranium dioxide pellets and zirconium cladding work together to contain...
Alto Details the Challenge of Winter Conditions for Canada’s High-Speed Rail Network
Alto, the consortium behind Canada’s proposed high‑speed rail, is confronting the nation’s harsh winter as a central design challenge. The 1,000‑kilometre, 300 km/h electrified corridor must remain operational despite snow, ice and prolonged sub‑zero temperatures. Drawing on practices from Europe and...
From Sharpies to Vinyl: The Professionalization of Truck Identity in Cargo Theft
Cargo thieves are moving from hand‑written signs to quickly produced vinyl decals that give trucks a convincing, temporary identity. These disposable decals can be applied and removed within hours, allowing fraudsters to look legitimate long enough to steal freight and...
Enabling the 5th Explorer Concept in the US
The U.S. has expanded its critical‑minerals list to 60, adding ten new elements in 2025, underscoring a widening supply gap. Because new mines take 10‑30 years to develop, the government is urging a systematic exploration strategy on mine‑enabling public lands....
Flatbed Trucking Booms as Manufacturing and Data Centers Surge
Trucking market conditions continue to be very tight, but nothing as significant as flatbed activity. Flatbeds are going hyperbolic, as demand for rust belt industrials (think steel) and manufacturing components heat up. Flatbeds are always on the front end of...
U.S. Boots on the Ground in Nigeria
On December 25, the United States conducted its first airstrike against a jihadist stronghold in northern Nigeria, followed by the deployment of roughly 100 U.S. advisors to train local counter‑terrorism forces. The initial team is expected to be supplemented by...
India Launches RailTech Policy to Make Railway Claims Digital
India’s Railways unveiled two digital reforms under its “52 Reforms in 52 Weeks” agenda: the RailTech Policy to systemise innovation and the e‑RCT platform to digitise the Railway Claims Tribunal. The RailTech framework creates a single‑stage portal, offers up to...
US Airforwarders Warn New Tariffs Will Create Disruption
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, to be applied for 150 days after a Supreme Court decision nullified the prior regime. The Airforwarders Association (AfA) warned the measure will...
Reclaim Expands Luggage Management Network with Addition of Voco The Darwin
reclaim, the premium luggage‑management platform, has added on‑demand service for the voco The Darwin Atlanta Midtown hotel, an IHG property. Guests can schedule bag pickup from the hotel lobby up to six hours before departure, with tamper‑evident tags and real‑time...
China Lithium Prices Surge as Zimbabwe Suspends Raw Mineral Exports
China’s lithium carbonate futures surged after Zimbabwe suspended all raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports. The Guangzhou Futures Exchange contract jumped 6.07% to 178,020 yuan, having peaked above 9% earlier in the session. Zimbabwe, the continent’s top lithium producer, shipped...
China's 90% Model Threatens 20 Industries—Act Now
My new book China's 90% Model launches March 17 To mark the launch of my book, I am hosting an exclusive session for my LinkedIn community. Are You Aware? Do You Know? In one hour I will take you through: 🔹What China's...
Customers Love Sharing Screenshots of Their Tariff Refunds
My favorite new thing is customers texting me screenshots of the amount our tariff refund calculator shows they will get back from the government https://t.co/JeiAW7wX99
Norse Cargo Goes Live with CargoAi
Norse Cargo, the freight division of Norse Atlantic Airways, has launched on the CargoAi digital marketplace, allowing freight forwarders to search, compare and book its air‑cargo capacity online. The integration connects Norse’s B787‑9 freighter slots to CargoMART and CargoCONNECT APIs,...
Freight and Manufacturing Renaissance: Early Signs on Fox Business
I will be on Fox Business' Making Money Today with Charles Payne at 2:25 ET today to discuss the current state of freight and manufacturing renaissance that we are seeing early signs for.
Assess Your Supply Chain’s ESG Regulation Readiness
How Ready Is Your Supply Chain for ESG Regulations? - https://t.co/vQMciV91ga @joinindago @Infor #ESG #ESGcompliance #supplychain #logistics
Synergy Marine Group Takes Management of “MAERSK FINISTERRE”
Synergy Marine Group has taken technical management of the MAERSK FINISTERRE, a 5,915‑TEU container ship owned by NKS Canopus and chartered long‑term to Maersk. The vessel features a methanol dual‑fuel propulsion system that can run on conventional fuels or green...
UPS Becomes World's Largest Express Air Cargo Hub
UPS overtakes FedEx to become world’s largest express air cargo hub https://t.co/4KagOwNarP Report - https://t.co/t55TpPGgln
Trump’s Carbon Tax Repeal Averts Global Tanker Crisis
Can’t say I didn’t warn everyone that the United Nations @IMOHQ’s war on oil tankers was going to end poorly. This would soon be happening to almost every ship globally if Trump hadn’t destroyed the UN Carbon Tax
The Hidden Customer Experience Cost of Returns: Why Apparel Brands Must Rethink Reverse Logistics
Apparel brands are recognizing that returns have become a pivotal customer‑experience moment rather than a hidden back‑office cost. Over 80% of shoppers say return policies influence purchase decisions, and slow, opaque refunds erode trust and repeat‑purchase intent. Reverse‑logistics delays have...
Importers Sold Claims for 20‑30¢,
Those importers who sold their tariff claims to Lutnick’s sons were only paid 20-30 cents on the dollar. Getting into the trade early? Are real importers concerned about getting refunds? Why? Dragging it out?
Traders Profit From Tariff Refund Chaos as Giants Wait
"Wall Street Traders Are Pouncing on the Tariff Refund Chaos" https://t.co/im6M532qdH "The biggest companies, meanwhile, can foot the legal bills and will be more likely to wait for big payouts." https://t.co/l0NCZUu5ko
Trump’s Secret Weapon in the Rare Earth War
China’s decades‑long dominance of rare‑earth processing is being challenged as the United States and allies pour over $8.5 billion into reshaping the supply chain. REAlloys Inc. has become the only North‑American company that can convert rare‑earth concentrates into metals and alloys,...
China's Duties Keep US Soybeans Off Its Market
US farmers and soybeans exporters not to get more China business? China duty still exists. Supply chains. Maritime.
President Misstates Hospital Ship’s Destination, Heading West
I know the news cycle has moved on but are we just going to ignore that the President said a hospital ship was “on the way” to Greenland when it’s clearly headed to the Panama Canal and West Coast? ...
Indonesia Likely to Miss US Farm Import Commitments
"Indonesia may struggle to deliver on new US farm import promises, traders say" 😲 https://t.co/EJEVp0S8sc
Maersk's Profit Hinges on Overcapacity and Suez Reopening
Maersk. Profit—or not. Overcapacity vs return to Suez Canal.. And what it means to rates.
Choosing the Right Leader Drives ROI and Trust
Discover how selecting the right project leader can boost ROI and build trust within your organization with 𝐑𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬. Stream now: 🔗 https://t.co/xZpXrFRDa1 📽️ https://t.co/IcAVWuUjlI 🔗 https://t.co/DmYp21NDA3 #Manufacturing #LeadershipDevelopment #ROI https://t.co/HrT69nqwVy
Legacy Cold Chains Can't Meet Modern DTC Demands
Cold chain logistics systems built 30+ years ago can’t support DTC, SKU explosion and two-day frozen delivery. That math doesn’t work. Margins shrink. Service risks rise. There’s a better way... #ColdChainLogistics #ColdChainSolutions https://t.co/RUl27ecRqu https://t.co/RZKvYHq964
Importers Weigh Discount for Guaranteed Immediate Tariff Refunds
If you are an importer, what % discount would you accept to get paid the full amount on your tariff refunds right now with 100% certainty and you keep the money even if there are no refunds.
Outbound Tender Rejections Surge to 14% Cycle High
Outbound tender rejection rates hit new cycle high at 14%. This rally is not slowing. https://t.co/LgTV2YoYEW
English Violation Rate Hits Record 103 Daily
The compliance momentum is increasing. English proficiency out of service violations are up to 103 per day, the highest in history. https://t.co/3Zplufl4lC
Last Tickets: Fireside Chat with RXO CEO on Freight Market
Still some tickets left to our first event of the year. We have a great speaker lineup and I am very excited to speak with RXO’s CEO in a fireside chart to discuss state of this crazy freight market.