🎯Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Updated 55m agoWhat's happening: WITRON posts record order intake and expands AI tools
WITRON announced a record‑breaking order intake driven by new contracts with major food retailers such as REWE, Tesco, Walmart and Ahold Delhaize. The company also completed a shift to a dual‑foundation governance model to strengthen independence. Parallel to growth, WITRON is rolling out AI‑driven solutions for master data, image recognition and maintenance.
Also developing:
By the numbers: VOC Port raises ₹15,000 Cr for outer harbour project
News•Feb 27, 2026
During Lula’s Visit, South Korea and Brazil Agree to Revive Mercosur Trade Talks
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Seoul, upgrading the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and signing ten MOUs across AI, biotech, agriculture, health and security. The summit’s headline outcome was the decision to revive stalled Mercosur free‑trade negotiations, which have been on hold for five years. Both leaders highlighted the need to diversify supply chains, especially for rare‑earth minerals critical to South Korea’s tech and EV sectors. Trade between the two nations already exceeds $10 billion annually, with Brazil seeking greater market access for beef.
By The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Indian Register of Shipping Launches First Defence Export Project
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has launched its first defence export project, delivering a floating dry dock to the Sri Lanka Navy. The dock, constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited, was inaugurated on February 19, 2026, with Rear Admiral MDK Wijewardana...
By Container News
News•Feb 27, 2026
First Brands to Sell Units That Produce Parts for Ford
First Brands Group, currently in a multi‑billion‑dollar bankruptcy, has identified four prospective buyers for its auto‑parts factories, three of which supply components to Ford Motor Co. Ford is prepaying for parts and administrative expenses, a move described by its counsel...
By Transport Topics – Technology
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
The Arsenal Beneath the Arsenal
Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Cadenazzi joined a live event with Ryan Evans to assess the current state of the U.S. defense industrial base. The dialogue covered a surge of venture‑capital‑backed startups, the dominance of legacy primes, and the urgent...
By War on the Rocks
News•Feb 27, 2026
Galax RTX 5060 Teardown Confirms Micron Joins RTX 50 GDDR7 Supply
A teardown of GALAX’s GeForce RTX 5060 Black OC V2 has revealed Micron‑branded GDDR7 memory, marking the first desktop RTX 50‑series card to use Micron as a third‑party supplier. The Micron MT68A512M32DF chips run at 28 Gbps, identical to the Samsung and SK Hynix parts already...
By Guru3D
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Catching Up With Tom Burke and His Inductive Automation Pivot
Inductive Automation has appointed Tom Burke, former OPC Foundation leader, as Technology Evangelist. Burke’s background includes roles at Mitsubishi and the CC Link Partners Association, positioning him to champion lightweight messaging standards like MQTT and Sparkplug within Inductive’s platform. The...
By The Manufacturing Connection
News•Feb 27, 2026
NatPower Raises Alarm on UK Shore Power Policy
NatPower Marine warns that the UK’s flagship shore‑power projects in Aberdeen and Portsmouth are faltering because soaring industrial electricity prices and a punitive pricing framework make diesel generators cheaper than grid‑connected power. The company attributes the delays to structural policy...
By Seatrade Maritime
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Port of Lázaro Cárdenas Opens 2026 with Cargo Growth
The Port of Lázaro Cárdenas opened 2026 with a strong start, handling 2,383,826 tonnes in January – a 6% increase over the same month last year. Containerised cargo dominated, representing 56% of throughput, while TEU volumes jumped 22% to 234,962....
By Container News
Podcast•Feb 27, 2026•33 min
AI Agents and the Future of Global Trade with Alibaba’s Kuo Zhang - Ep. 291
In this episode, Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, explains how the platform’s new AI agent, Axio, is transforming global B2B trade by handling complex sourcing tasks, from interpreting natural‑language requests to managing compliance, logistics, and supplier communication. He highlights real‑world...
By The AI Podcast (NVIDIA)
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Spend as a Signal for Future Readiness
Spend data, traditionally a lagging metric, is being re‑engineered as a forward‑looking signal thanks to AI advancements. Zip’s recent survey of over 1,000 spend management professionals reveals heightened focus on analytics, AI skill demand, and a rapidly diversifying procurement technology...
By Art of Procurement
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Making the Case for Change: Orchestration & Procurement Operating Models
The session with ORO Labs executives reframed procurement as an end‑to‑end process rather than a siloed function, emphasizing its impact on user experience, cost savings, risk mitigation, and compliance. Rapid advances in AI and automation are forcing procurement technology stacks...
By Art of Procurement
News•Feb 27, 2026
U.S. Moves to Permanently Seize Sanctioned Tanker ‘Skipper’ and $150M Oil Cargo
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint to permanently seize the motor tanker Skipper and its 1.8‑million‑barrel Venezuelan crude cargo. Authorities seized the vessel off Venezuela in December 2025 after it operated without nationality and falsely claimed...
By gCaptain
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Serving Up Savings in Food Procurement
Organizations that serve food at scale face rising inflation and supplier pressure. Partnering with a group purchasing organization (GPO) allows them to lock in lower prices, standardize contracts, and streamline budgeting. Marissa Muzik, senior manager at Una, explains how GPOs...
By Art of Procurement
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
TikTok Shop Scraps Controversial Shipping Overhaul Under Seller Pressure
TikTok Shop announced on February 17, 2026 that it is pausing the enforcement of a policy that would have eliminated independent shipping for U.S. sellers, keeping the existing fulfillment model in place for now. The original mandate required merchants to...
By EcomCrew
News•Feb 27, 2026
CATL and BMW Prepare for Upcoming Battery Passport
Chinese battery giant CATL and German automaker BMW have signed a letter of intent to deepen their partnership, targeting data exchange for the EU battery passport. The two will run pilot projects using the Catena‑X open data ecosystem to enable...
By Electrive
News•Feb 27, 2026
Norway Landslide that Killed Railway Worker Was Triggered by Ground Stabilisation Works
An engineering investigation found that lime‑cement pile installation triggered the quick‑clay landslide at Nesvatnet, Norway, on 30 August 2025, killing one railway worker. The work had just placed the 29th pile when high‑pressure air entered a permeable sand layer, raising pore pressure...
By RailTech.com
News•Feb 27, 2026
Advancing the Enterprise in Volatile Times: Supply Chain as a Source of Reason
Enterprises facing tariff spikes, freight cost surges, and geopolitical fragmentation must separate measurable (quantitative) shocks from structural (qualitative) risks. Leaders gain advantage by tightening controllable levers—pricing discipline, bonded inventory, freight timing, and proactive supplier negotiations—rather than blaming external volatility. A...
By Supply Chain Management Review (SCMR)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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,...
By Supply Chain Dive
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Container News
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By MarineLink
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By ZeroHedge – Markets
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By FreightWaves
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Journal of Commerce (JOC)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Graphene-Info
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By iFixit News (Teardowns)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Air Cargo Week
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Supply Chain Dive
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Container News
News•Feb 27, 2026
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....
By Global Railway Review
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Railway Gazette International
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Chatham House – All Content
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Just Style
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By CPO Rising
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Teslarati
News•Feb 27, 2026
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,...
By RailTech.com
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Retail Times (UK)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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%...
By Seatrade Maritime
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By RailFreight.com
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Seatrade Maritime
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Railway Pro
News•Feb 27, 2026
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,...
By RailFreight.com
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Retail Detail (EU)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By CTMfile (Corporate Treasury Management)
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By sUAS News
News•Feb 27, 2026
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....
By RailFreight.com
News•Feb 27, 2026
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,...
By Logistics Management
News•Feb 27, 2026
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,...
By Splash 247
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Splash 247
News•Feb 27, 2026
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...
By Geospatial World – Smart Infrastructure