Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Pharma giants pledge up to $70B to boost U.S. manufacturing amid tariff threat
Facing a possible 100% tariff on branded drugs, major pharmaceutical companies are accelerating U.S. manufacturing and R&D investments. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Roche announced commitments ranging from $3.5 billion to $70 billion, securing temporary tariff exemptions or price concessions.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Chinese Energy Plans to Shake up Shipping, Warns Danish Ship Finance
China’s latest five‑year plan emphasizes energy self‑sufficiency and green logistics, signaling a structural shift in global trade patterns. The plan reinforces the Belt and Road Initiative and encourages new port investments, which could reroute bulk cargo away from traditional Europe‑Asia lanes. Danish Ship Finance’s research head warns that these changes will hit the shipping sector hard, affecting freight rates and vessel utilization. The warning underscores heightened financing risk for ships tied to legacy routes.
EU Agrees Plan to Tackle Essential Medicine Shortages
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement on the Critical Medicines Act, a legislative package aimed at strengthening the supply chain for essential drugs. The act requires member states to diversify procurement, prioritize EU‑based manufacturing, and launch strategic projects...
South African Table Grape Exports Remain Steady Despite Logistical Challenges
South Africa’s table grape sector posted a modest 0.2% export increase in the 2025/26 season, shipping over 78 million cartons despite a record‑size harvest and severe logistics bottlenecks. Early ripening pushed volumes ahead of schedule, but wind‑driven disruptions and congestion at...
Chinese Cars Surge Abroad as Foreign Share in China Halves
"The market share of foreign auto firms in China has almost halved in five years, to around 30% in 2025. Moreover, in 2023 China passed Japan to become the world’s largest exporter of cars. In 2025 over 8 million of...
India-Oman FTA Likely to Come Into Force From June 1: Piyush Goyal
India and Oman will activate their free‑trade agreement on June 1, 2026, granting India duty‑free access to 98% of its exports, including textiles, agricultural and leather goods. In return, India will lower tariffs on Omani dates, marble and petrochemical products. Simultaneously, New...
Emirates SkyCargo Reports Solid Cargo Growth for 2025-2026
Emirates SkyCargo transported 2.4 million tonnes of freight in 2025‑26, a 3% rise year‑over‑year. The addition of five Boeing 777F freighters lifted capacity by 13%, bringing the fleet to 13 aircraft with eight more on order. Revenue reached AED 16.2 billion (≈US$4.4 billion), representing...
Pre-Monsoon Buying Keeps Black Pepper Prices Steady
Black pepper prices in India held steady in early May as grinding units in North India increased pre‑monsoon purchases. The domestic market quoted ₹700 per kg (≈$8.5) for ungarbled pepper and ₹720 per kg (≈$8.8) for garbled varieties, with 15‑20 tonnes arriving at the Kochi...
Global Supply Dashboard to Go Live for Public Access on May 15
Malaysia’s Economy Ministry and the Department of Statistics will launch the Global Supply Crisis Monitoring Dashboard for public use on May 15, 2026. The portal features ten sub‑menus covering energy, commodities, cost of living, economic performance, FX rates and trade...
Iran Expands Strait of Hormuz Claim to 200 Km Radius
MAP OF THE DAY: Iran is claiming a much wider geographical footprint for the Strait of Hormuz than before, according to state media. Tehran says the SoH area goes from the port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman to...
FOS Picks Incat Crowther to Design Fast CTV Fleet for Shell’s Brunei Ops
Fast Offshore Supply (FOS) has chosen Incat Crowther to design a fleet of ten 55‑metre DP2 fast crew transfer vessels for Brunei Shell Petroleum. The aluminium vessels will carry up to 80 passengers and 150 tonnes of cargo at 30 knots, with...
Taiwan in Talks with Iran to Rescue Eight Container Ships Trapped in Middle East
Taiwan is negotiating with Iran to secure safe passage for eight Taiwanese‑flagged container vessels currently stranded in the Gulf region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reached out to Iranian authorities, and the Maritime Port Bureau is monitoring the ships’...
How Geopolitics Rewrote the Logic of Global Shipping
For most of the 20th century, ocean carriers chose routes solely on distance, seeking the cheapest fuel burn and fastest transit. Recent geopolitical shocks—such as the Red Sea Houthi attacks, the 2021 Suez Canal blockage, and sanctions stemming from the...
Silent Qatari Tanker Mihzem Likely Passed Strait of Hormuz
The second Qatari oil tanker heading to Pakistan, Mihzem, which made a U-turn yesterday, has gone silent — no signal for the past 15 hours. It’s possible it has already passed the Strait of Hormuz. If it has, we should...
China's Mercantilist Squeeze Threatens Developing Economies
Important NEW paper @PIIE China's mercantilist squeeze on developing economies by @arvindsubraman @shoumitro_c Who really is harmed by China Shock 2.0
Hormuz Data Chokepoints and Iranian Threats Against Undersea Internet Cables
Iranian news agencies aligned with the IRGC have floated proposals to charge global tech firms for operating undersea fiber‑optic cables that cross the Strait of Hormuz. The plan leans on a selective reading of UNCLOS, arguing that the cables sit...
Mihzem Vessel Successfully Navigates Hormuz Strait as Predicted
Exactly as expected in eth tweet below. Here it is. It passed through the Hormuz Strait #Mihzem https://t.co/mosqVLnr6C
Social Value Ripples Across Every Supply Chain Link
Read the latest edition of the Art of Supply newsletter > How Social Value Cascades Through Supply Chains https://t.co/NJ3xwR5b49
Weekly Airfreight Rate Rises Mostly Ease
Global airfreight rates are cooling after two months of sharp gains, with the Baltic Air Freight Index (BAI00) edging up just 0.4% in the week to May 11. Despite the weekly pause, the index remains 35.8% higher year‑on‑year, still far above...
Amazon Now Rolls Out 30‑minute Delivery Across U.S. Cities
Are we approaching a "6-minute abs" situation? I'm sure the 15-minute service is coming :) -> Amazon launches Amazon Now, its 30-minute delivery service, in dozens of US cities including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle, after pilots https://t.co/vn3ndFyrCX https://t.co/1Tt94hiHxO
Record CASCI Index Driven by Strong Chip Performance
The only way to track the manufacture and shipping of AI Compute is through the CASCI Composite index, by @Culpium April's CASCI Composite hit a record. BUT: Chip strength made up for faltering momentum elsewhere in the supply chain. Head to...
The Iran War Is Taking the Color Out of Japan’s Best-Known Snack Bags
Calbee, Japan's leading snack maker, announced it will temporarily replace its iconic colorful plastic bags with black‑and‑white packaging. The change stems from a shortage of naphtha, a petroleum‑derived solvent essential for ink production, caused by the Iran war’s impact on...
US Surplus Driven by Rising Refined Product Exports
The US imports crude (blue) and exports refined product (red), which is things like gasoline, heating oil and jet fuel. The sharp rise in the US' oil surplus is all about more refined product leaving the country, which helps mitigate...
Kagan Predicts U.S. Likely Defeat in Iran
Robert Kagan on why he believes U.S. faces likely defeat in Iran https://t.co/6JsAI19fL0 via @YouTube
FAA Lifts Ban on MD-11 Freighters, Clearing FedEx’s 29‑plane Fleet for Service
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its long‑standing flight ban on McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters, enabling FedEx to resume commercial operations with two aircraft on Sunday. The clearance follows a Boeing‑approved structural fix and opens up capacity from FedEx’s 29‑plane fleet...
Piracy Resurges in Red Sea, Alarming Global Shipping
Captain Phillips is shaking in his boots because piracy is returning to the high seas, specifically in the Red Sea and off the Horn of Africa. Somali pirates have already attacked multiple ships. Full Newsletter: https://t.co/apUKpFZFx6 #piracy #geopolitics https://t.co/YV7x3bgjTR
Supply Chains Need Faster Decisions, Not Just Visibility
Supply Chains don't need more visibility - They need faster decisions. https://t.co/VKqA67WCvF “We don’t want to be reacting,” said Mike Medeiros, Executive Vice President of Operations at Penske. “We want to identify those opportunities early and often.”
Chicago Suburbs’ Warehouse Surge Fuels Growth and Traffic Crisis
Developers have built more than 146 million square feet of warehouse space in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, drawing retailers like Amazon and Walmart. The surge now sees roughly 20,000 trucks daily, spurring road damage and a rise in truck‑related crashes, prompting a...
Amazon Expands 30‑Minute Delivery to Dozens of U.S. Cities
Amazon announced that its ultra‑fast Amazon Now service will roll out to dozens of additional U.S. cities, including Houston, Denver, Minneapolis and New York, extending 30‑minute deliveries for a $3.99 fee to Prime members. The move deepens the retailer’s micro‑hub...
Trump-Xi Summit Puts Rare‑Earth Mineral Tensions Front‑and‑Center
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing to discuss trade, security and rare‑earth minerals, with Washington pressing Beijing to ease supply‑chain pressure on critical mining inputs. The talks come amid broader Middle‑East turmoil and a...
China Axes Tariffs for African Imports, but What Does This Mean for South African Wine?
From May 1, China eliminated tariffs on products from 53 African nations under the China‑Africa Economic Partnership Agreement, including South African wine. The first tariff‑free shipment saw 6,000 bottles cleared at Shenzhen Bay, removing a 14‑20% duty. The pact runs until...
EU Scaling Back EV Targets Threatens 34 Battery Factories, $54 Billion in Oil Costs
A Transport & Environment (T&E) report warns that if the EU dilutes its 2030‑2035 car CO2 targets, electric‑vehicle production could fall by half in 2030, endangering up to 34 Northvolt‑sized battery factories and 47,000 jobs. The study also estimates an...
Uniper Flexes Diversified Procurement Portfolio as Profit Rises
Uniper SE reported a Q1 adjusted net profit of €231 million (≈$271 million), reversing a €143 million loss from the same period last year. The German utility highlighted its diversified gas and LNG procurement strategy, which excludes Middle‑East sources and cushions it from...
Fuel Surge Amid Iran War Pushes Azerbaijan Inflation to 5.6% in Jan‑Apr 2026
Azerbaijan's consumer price index rose to 5.6% in the January‑April 2026 period, driven largely by soaring fuel costs linked to the ongoing Iran conflict. Neighboring Kyrgyzstan reported a sharp jump in imported fuel prices, underscoring the broader regional impact on...
FAA Clears Boeing MD-11 Cargo Fleet After UPS Crash, FedEx Resumes Flights
The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing's fix for the MD-11 cargo aircraft, allowing FedEx to put its MD-11s back in service. The remedy follows a November 2025 UPS crash that killed 15 people and prompted UPS to retire its MD-11...
SAP and Cyberwave Deploy Fully Autonomous AI Robots in Live German Warehouse
SAP SE and Cyberwave announced the successful rollout of fully autonomous, AI‑powered robots in SAP's St. Leon‑Rot logistics center in Germany. The deployment demonstrates that Physical AI can operate at scale in a live fulfillment environment, promising faster training and...
Poland Wants to Adopt the Japanese Model for Train Stations and Rail Services
Polish state‑owned railway PKP S.A. and Japan’s JR East signed a memorandum of cooperation on May 6 to exchange expertise in station management, digitalisation, and passenger services. The partnership will explore transit‑oriented development, energy‑efficient infrastructure, and AI‑driven maintenance. Joint workshops, study...
MSC and MEDLOG Renew Food Safety Management Certifications
MSC and MEDLOG have secured renewed certifications from RINA for their Food Safety Management System (FSM) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) protocols. MEDLOG Italy obtained FSM certification for the first time, extending the group’s certified network. The certifications, based on...
Taiwan’s Chips Power the Global Economy. China Holds the Leverage
Taiwan’s semiconductor champion TSMC supplies roughly 90% of the world’s most advanced chips and 99% of the AI‑training silicon that powers smartphones, electric vehicles and the global AI race. A serious disruption—whether from a blockade, customs inspections or outright conflict—could...
Amazon Launches 30-Minute Delivery Across the U.S.
Amazon unveiled “Amazon Now,” a 30‑minute delivery service available in ten U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Dallas‑Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, with plans to expand to tens of millions of customers by year‑end. The offering covers thousands of items—from fresh groceries to...
NESI and Vulcan Break Ground on German Lithium Refinery
NESI and Vulcan have begun construction on a 24,000‑tonne‑per‑year lithium refinery in Frankfurt, marking Europe’s first commercial‑scale electrochemical lithium‑refining facility. The plant is designed to produce enough lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) for roughly 500,000 electric‑vehicle batteries each year. NESI recently...
Qatar Orders LNG Tankers to Disable AIS Amid Tensions
Qatar asks LNG tankers to go dark in new safety measure 🇶🇦⚠️ The directive came this week for vessels within Ras Laffan port, anchorages and port waters to switch off their AIS More ships are masking their location as tension in the...
US Clothing Imports From China Slip Further in March as Asian Rivals Gain Ground
U.S. apparel imports fell 5.6% in March 2026, with China experiencing the steepest decline as buyers pivot to Vietnam and other Southeast Asian producers. Seven of the ten largest U.S. apparel suppliers reported lower shipment volumes from China. The shift...
Xi’s Power Lies in Rare Earth Monopoly
.@gideonrachman in FT op-ed: “It is Xi Jinping who ‘has the cards’—to use a phrase that Trump likes. The Chinese president’s ace is his country’s near monopoly over the production of rare earths and critical minerals.” https://t.co/kdHuHoSwcP
US, UK, Australia Tighten Sanctions On Iran
The United States, United Kingdom and Australia announced a coordinated wave of sanctions against Iran in mid‑May, targeting individuals and entities tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and to the regime’s human‑rights violations. The U.S. Treasury listed 12...
Gwadar’s Moment Has Finally Arrived for Pakistan
In April 2026 Gwadar Port processed about 11,000 standard containers, eclipsing the 8,300 handled across all of 2025. The surge was triggered by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting shippers to reroute through the deep‑water, 400 km‑proximate port. Decades of China‑Pakistan...
DHL Express Signs Its First Middle East SAF Offtake Agreement
DHL Express has signed its first Middle East sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offtake agreement with Dubai‑based SAF One. The deal grants DHL access to 25,000 metric tons of unblended SAF per year, totalling 250,000 tons over a ten‑year period beginning...
Steel Tariffs Are Raising the Price of Canned Foods
President Trump’s 50% steel tariff, imposed under Section 232, has driven up the cost of tin‑plate steel used for cans. Despite the tariff, imports of the material surged in 2025, leaving U.S. can makers dependent on foreign supply. A tin can...
Nigeria's Aviation Hit by Fuel Shortages, Soaring Oil Prices
JUST IN: Nigeria’s aviation sector is facing increased safety and operational issues from jet fuel shortages and rising oil prices.
The World Needs Africa. That Does Not Mean Africa Wins
Africa’s vast critical‑mineral reserves have thrust the continent into the center of the emerging global order, yet it captures less than 1% of clean‑energy manufacturing value. The competition among China, the United States, the European Union and Gulf states now...
Rhenus Opens Dangerous Goods Warehouse in Bangkok
Rhenus Group has opened a 5,817 sqm dangerous‑goods warehouse adjacent to its KM19 facility in Bangna Trad, Bangkok. The purpose‑built site meets stringent DG compliance with fire‑rated walls, explosion‑proof systems and dedicated ventilation. Thailand’s warehousing sector is projected to grow 8.7%...