Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
DHL Express ramps up India push under Strategy 2030
DHL Express is accelerating its India strategy as part of its global Strategy 2030 plan, targeting a 50% increase in worldwide revenue from the 2023 baseline. India is one of 20 priority markets, with the carrier focusing on high‑growth sectors such as life sciences, new energy, e‑commerce and digital sales, and it has recently added temperature‑controlled assets to support the expansion.
Amazon has begun a pilot that would let external e‑commerce sites display Prime two‑day shipping eligibility without requiring shoppers to log into Amazon. The company has not released details on participating sites, timeline, or technical implementation, leaving the market to speculate on its impact.
OpenAI announced that Broadcom will join Nvidia as a supplier of custom AI accelerators for its ChatGPT and other services, marking a strategic diversification. Broadcom’s AI semiconductor revenue doubled to $8.4 billion last quarter, underscoring its growing relevance in the inference...
Meta Platforms' AI‑powered Ray‑Ban smart glasses have hit a trio of EU obstacles—mandatory removable batteries by 2027, strict AI regulations, and supply shortfalls from partner EssilorLuxottica—forcing the company to seek an exemption and postponing a European rollout.
Chevron warned that California is on the brink of a historic fuel shortage after diesel prices surged past $7 a gallon, the highest on record. The company said it may cease refining in the state unless taxes and regulations are...
Neura Mobile Robots showcased an end‑to‑end mobile manipulation system at LogiMAT, pairing its X Move 1200 AGV with the MAiRA M cognitive cobot. The integrated platform not only transports goods but also autonomously grasps, stores, and retrieves items, eliminating manual handovers. This...
Iran’s decision to block the Strait of Hormuz has driven Brent crude up to $104 a barrel, a 40% jump since the war began, while roughly 2,000 vessels remain stranded. The move fuels a price surge, a de‑facto toll‑booth regime...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, approved a short‑term waiver permitting nationwide sales of E15 gasoline from May 1 to May 20. The move targets near‑$4‑per‑gallon pump prices that have surged amid the Iran war, while sparking debate...
Brazil has unveiled the F‑39E Gripen, its first domestically assembled supersonic fighter, marking the first time a Latin American nation has produced such an aircraft. The jet is part of a $4 billion deal for 36 fighters, with 15 built locally,...
Samsung Electronics will begin mass production at its 8‑inch GaN power‑semiconductor foundry line in the second quarter of 2026 and start sample production of silicon‑carbide (SiC) devices in the third quarter. The move positions Samsung as a new player in...
Foreign‑Trade Zones (FTZs) are secured U.S. sites where imported goods remain outside customs territory, allowing companies to defer or eliminate duties until the merchandise is released. Recent tariff spikes and shifting trade policy have revived interest in FTZs as a...
Saudi Arabia’s largest drilling contractor, Arabian Drilling, announced the suspension of several offshore rigs in the Gulf due to heightened regional tensions, while its on‑shore fleet of 39 rigs remains fully operational. The move follows a similar short‑term shutdown by...
Barry Callebaut, Ferrero, Hershey and Tony’s Chocolonely have joined the UK Cocoa Coalition, a multi‑stakeholder alliance of chocolate makers, NGOs and retailers. The coalition is lobbying for rapid adoption of the UK Forest Risk Commodities Regulation to eradicate deforestation and...
The ongoing war in Iran is disrupting every node of the regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain, choking exports from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. With Gulf output curtailed, European and Asian buyers are forced to vie for...
An annual Contship‑SRM study of firms in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia‑Romagna shows intermodal transport remains marginal, with usage below 5% in three of the past four years and a one‑off 20% peak in 2023. Across 2019‑2025 the average share of...
Hitachi Rail will build Seibu Railway’s new premium dining car, the Fine Dining Train “vies,” slated for service in March 2028. The design draws on Hitachi’s Laview express train platform, leveraging large windows, spacious interiors, and advanced control systems. The project...
SITA has introduced Bag Radar, a cloud‑based analytics platform that consolidates baggage data from BIMs, WorldTracer, BRS and DCS to deliver real‑time and predictive insights. By applying historical analysis and AI, the solution flags potential mishandling, missed connections and bottlenecks...
China’s state‑backed COSCO Shipping Lines announced it will resume new bookings for standard freight containers from the Far East to the Gulf, covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. The decision reverses a March 4 suspension triggered by...
Europe’s rail networks are facing higher traffic, tighter construction windows, and the need for uninterrupted service. Voestalpine Railway Systems addresses these challenges by fully pre‑assembling and testing turnouts in a factory environment, shifting complex work off the track. The company...
The Maritime Attention Index (MAI) shows five spikes in public interest over the past five years, with two occurring in early 2026 due to sanctioned tanker seizures and the Hormuz closure. The index, which aggregates Google searches, Wikipedia views, social...
Silver47 Exploration Corp. announced its membership in the Pentagon‑sponsored Critical Minerals Forum, a coalition aimed at securing domestic supply chains for defense‑critical minerals. The forum provides AI‑driven market intelligence and a project‑clearinghouse that links miners with investors and government agencies....
DB Cargo has completed a rapid retrofit of its entire Class 77 diesel fleet, installing the LEADER driver‑assistance system on all 60 locomotives within four months. The digital tool, first proven on electric units since 2016, is designed to cut fuel...
Petron Corp., the Philippines' largest refiner, received a shipment of roughly 13.5 million barrels of Russian crude after Washington granted a sanctions waiver for oil already loaded on tankers. The waiver, issued to mitigate supply shortages caused by the closure of...
Registration opened for Splash Singapore, the first edition of an Asia‑focused shipowner conference slated for September 24 at Singapore’s Fairmont Hotel. The event, built on eight Maritime CEO Forum editions, promises a slide‑free, sales‑free format featuring senior CEOs from Performance Shipping,...
Mexico’s 1,500‑km Mayan Train, originally built for tourism, is now testing freight operations. Night trials employ three Wabtec‑supplied ES44AC diesel locomotives, each delivering 3.3 MW and equipped with European Train Control System (ETCS). The tests focus on coupling and positioning of...
HHLA reported 2025 results showing a 10.9% rise in intermodal volume to 1,982 TEU, with rail freight expanding 11.2% to 1,719 k TEU and overtaking trucks. Total revenue climbed 12% to €797 million (≈$870 million) and group revenue reached €1.756 billion (≈$1.915 billion). EBIT surged...
Barclays estimates that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz would remove 13‑14 million barrels per day from global oil supply, representing roughly 13% of projected 2026 demand. The bank warns that if the disruption extends into late April, Brent...
The European Commission has released new guidelines on state aid for railway infrastructure, updating the 2008 framework to include explicit rules for financing new lines, upgrades, and digital traffic‑management projects. The rules differentiate aid for interoperability from rolling‑stock modernization and...
Tesla has introduced a folding V4 Supercharger that lets 33% more units fit on a single truck, slashing deployment time by half and cutting installation costs about 20%. The new V4 cabinet delivers up to 500 kW per stall for passenger...
Iran's bid to start charging a fee to vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz (Tehran never ratified the UNCLOS despite signing it in 1982) is making other countries ensure they don't encounter such risks in other chokepoints -- the Straits...
Taiwan spent an extra $600 million to secure LNG through June to replace lost Qatari supply 🇹🇼 💰 Taiwan’s Economic Minister said spot LNG prices are “about twice as high as long-term contract prices with Qatar” The island depends more on gas...
The Strait of Hormuz is still physically open, but ships now sail only with explicit clearance. A new geopolitical filter has turned the waterway into a controlled corridor, requiring vessels to obtain permission before transiting. This system prioritizes certain cargoes—especially...
Pandora, the world’s largest jewelry retailer, selected Hardis Supply Chain as its global warehouse management system partner to modernize a complex, multi‑region supply chain. The configurable WMS will replace a rigid platform across manufacturing in Thailand, European distribution, and North...
A sharp rise in diesel to about 39 baht ($1.11) per litre—driven by the US‑Israeli war on Iran—has left more than half of Samut Sakhon’s trawlers idle and threatens to shut down Thailand’s multibillion‑dollar fishing sector within days. Thailand exports roughly...
A Trump‑era memo reveals that roughly $9.7 million in contraceptives purchased by USAID for low‑income African nations became stranded in a Belgian warehouse after the agency was dismantled. By September 2025 only $1.6 million remained usable, while $8.1 million spoiled due to lack...
France selects six operators for PV module recycling capacity #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/h4W6IZISaO
A Sierra Leone‑flagged Suezmax tanker, the Altura, was struck by drones near the Bosporus, damaging its bridge and engine room but causing no crew injuries. Turkish officials say the attack likely involved an unmanned underwater vehicle, a rare method in...
Saudi Arabia is accelerating crude exports from its Yanbu Red Sea terminals, aiming for a 5 MMbpd target as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed by Iran. The East‑West pipeline linking Abqaiq to Yanbu can handle 7 MMbpd, but 2 MMbpd are...
The FAT TAIL for the Persian Gulf crisis Prolonged energy disruption & economic dislocation THRU 2027, says @ProfessorKaren That assumes the conflict is resolved in April or May
Australians are "panic buying" fuel This is a classic early-stage crisis dynamic People fear shortages → they hoard → Local outages appear → which reinforces fear THIS IS WHAT FRAGILITY LOOKS LIKE BEFORE FAILURE This will happen in your country next
Geraldine Slattery, president of BHP’s Australian operations, warned that ongoing energy disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions are pushing nations to prioritize supply security over climate goals. The warning comes as oil prices have surged 35% and BHP faces pressure over...
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee agree that the opening the Strait of Hormuz is important Where's DOGE when you need to cut fraud and waste?
Finally, a little commerce is moving in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians benefit by charging up to $2 million for free passage and those who pass obviously benefit or they wouldn’t pay the transit fee. THREE CHEERS FOR COMMERCE. https://t.co/hzDa6MSkxF
Consumers Energy filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to push back the start of a $350 million spillway replacement at Michigan’s Hardy Dam until the end of 2028, citing the pending sale of the dam to Confluence Hydro....
Chick-fil-A announced a $50 million investment in a new distribution and warehouse facility in Lubbock, Texas, slated to begin construction in May 2026. The hub will support the chain’s rapid restaurant rollout across West Texas, improve logistics efficiency, and create about...
ERP Software Blog announced its 2026 Best Microsoft Dynamics ERP Tools for Supply Chain, recognizing 12 specialized add‑ons that extend Dynamics 365. The independently curated list underscores the growing demand for AI‑enabled, industry‑specific supply‑chain functionality, a core service area for...
Aliko Dangote’s refinery has lifted its ex‑depot gasoline price to N1,285 per litre – its fifth hike in March – as the U.S.–Israel war on Iran pushes crude to $120 a barrel. The move deepens Dangote’s downstream foothold while sparking...
S&P Global’s flash Purchasing Managers’ Index surveys for March 2026 show business activity edging closer to stagnation worldwide, with the eurozone slipping to 50.5 and the UK composite at 51.0. At the same time, input‑cost inflation jumped as Brent crude...
Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly questioned the army’s reliance on second‑hand transport aircraft following a crash that killed dozens of soldiers. The incident has sparked a debate over procurement practices, maintenance standards, and regional defense‑aviation policies.
“Weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against one nation. It is economic terrorism against every nation, every family that depends on affordable energy and food.” Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. CEO Sultan Al Jaber says in speech at @MiddleEastInst...
Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting‑goods retailer, announced that its seven European warehouses using Exotec’s Skypod robots have seen productivity surges, including a 100% increase in orders at its Portugal hub. The automation cut picker walking distance by up to 90%...
