Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Oman transit corridor revives India’s West Asia trade
India’s May 2026 exports to West Asia rebounded to $5.30 billion after a sharp dip, thanks to a new transit corridor through Oman’s Sohar, Salalah and Duqm ports that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. The routing restored trade levels to near‑year‑on‑year levels, driven by higher shipments from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Tesla Giga Texas Buzzing as New Cybertruck Appears to Enter Production
Tesla’s Giga Texas plant appears to have started series production of the newly launched Dual‑Motor AWD Cybertruck, priced at $59,990. Drone footage captured multiple units staged for shipment, confirming the model’s move from prototype to ramp. At the same facility, the robotaxi‑focused Cybercab is also progressing, with dozens of units parked for autonomous testing. The developments come as Tesla pushes both vehicles toward higher volumes before the end of 2026.
Roc Partners Launches Precision Poultry Roll‑up to Challenge KKR’s ProTen
Roc Partners announced the creation of Precision Poultry, a roll‑up platform that will acquire U.S. broiler growers to build a national competitor to KKR’s ProTen. The launch follows Roc’s exit from ProTen a year earlier and signals fresh consolidation activity...
Manufacturing Industry Lost 2,000 Jobs in April: BLS
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that manufacturing shed 2,000 jobs in April, a 50% year‑over‑year increase but a 113% drop from March’s 15,000‑job gain. The ISM employment index fell to 46.4%, confirming a contraction in hiring. Transportation equipment...
Indian Oil Marketers Flag Strait of Hormuz Disruption as Top Boardroom Risk Amid $105 Brent Spike
India’s state‑run oil marketing companies disclosed under‑recoveries of roughly ₹1 lakh crore ($1.2 bn) after Brent crude surged to $105 a barrel, prompting senior executives to elevate Strait of Hormuz disruptions to a primary risk‑management focus. The move underscores a broader shift toward...
Russia Expands Alabuga Drone Hub by 340 Hectares and Restarts Re‑exports to Iran
Russia has enlarged the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan by 340 hectares, adding new hangars and worker housing, while also restarting the re‑export of Geran strike drones to Iran. The expansion underscores Moscow’s push to boost high‑tech defense output...
Australian East‑Coast Corridors See Surge in Battery‑Electric Truck Deployments
Centurion’s $36 million off‑grid charging hub in Perth and Janus Electric’s fleet‑wide electrification push have accelerated battery‑electric truck deployments along Australia’s east‑coast corridors. The moves signal a rapid shift toward zero‑emission heavy freight in a market traditionally dominated by diesel.
VIDEO: Mack Trucks Redesigns PartsASIST Online Platform
Mack Trucks has unveiled a full redesign of its PartsASIST online parts‑ordering platform, originally launched in 2021. The upgrade features a modern, responsive interface, faster load times, and advanced search tools that let users filter by VIN, chassis series, and...
Century Aluminum Advances Oklahoma Smelter Project, CEO Says
Century Aluminum announced progress on its joint Oklahoma smelter with Emirates Global Aluminum, targeting a final investment decision and groundbreaking by year‑end, which would double U.S. aluminum output. The company is also ramping up production at its Mt. Holly, South...
US-Iran Ceasefire 'on Life Support' With Energy Woes to Continue in 2027
The United States and Iran have hit a stalemate in cease‑fire talks, leaving the Strait of Hormuz closed to commercial shipping. President Donald Trump insists on a "complete victory" while Tehran demands an end to the U.S. naval blockade and...
China Pushes Level‑4 Autonomous Robovans Into Urban Delivery and Long‑Haul Freight
China is moving Level‑4 autonomous logistics from test beds to commercial fleets, with MINIEYE's Bamboo Robovan T5 Pro and Carl Dynamics' KargoBot Space slated for delivery within months. The rollout targets 18 cities and long‑haul routes, promising rapid payback through...
Etihad Credit Insurance Boosts Risk Capacity at Lill Global Symposium
Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) chief executive Raja Al Mazrouei told the Lill Global Symposium in Oxford that the agency has increased its risk capacity and broadened coverage limits to protect UAE exporters. The move comes as the UAE seeks to...
Geopolitical Tensions Set to Spike Energy and Metal Prices, Analysts Warn
Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett says commodities will be the biggest trade of the next five years as fresh explosions near Iran’s Strait of Hormuz and a tense US‑China summit raise supply‑risk fears. The events have already pushed West...
Skyports Launches Daily Drone Delivery Across NYC’s East River for Medical Supplies
British firm Skyports has started daily weekday drone trips across New York City’s East River, ferrying light medical paperwork for an unnamed health‑care system. The pilot, run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the NYC Economic...
Sereact Secures $110 Million Series B to Accelerate AI Robotics Platform
German AI robotics firm Sereact raised $110 million in a Series B round led by Headline, with participation from Bullhound Capital, Daphni and Felix Capital. The funding will scale its Cortex 2.0 AI brain and fund a U.S. market entry, adding to...
E‑commerce Giants Redesign Supply Chains for 2026, Targeting Faster, More Resilient Delivery
Leading e‑commerce brands are abandoning just‑in‑time models for just‑in‑case networks, adding regional fulfillment nodes and 3PL partnerships. A 2,400% surge in shipping reroutes and 86% of firms planning new centers underscore the urgency.
The Permian Pipeline Buildout Reaches Critical Mass
Natural gas production in the Permian Basin has doubled since 2018, reaching 25.4 billion cubic feet per day and representing 22% of U.S. marketed gas. Takeaway capacity has lagged, driving deep discounts at the Waha hub and occasional negative pricing. Three...
Flytrex and Little Caesars Launch Drone Pizza Delivery in Texas
Flytrex has teamed up with Little Caesars to roll out autonomous drone pizza delivery in Wylie, Texas, promising two 16‑inch pizzas at customers' doors in about four and a half minutes. The service uses the new Sky2 octocopter, which can...
World Indifferent to Hormuz Closure, Shipping Adapts Anyway
Nothing would be better for my maritime media business than pumping doom and gloom: the world is over if the Strait of Hormuz doesn’t reopen. The mainstream press is happy to write that story. I’m not. Yes, the situation is bad. But...
Why I Started Testing Automation Scripts Through Residential Networks
A warehouse‑automation engineer struggled with datacenter proxies that triggered CAPTCHAs and silent bans, limiting data‑collection reliability. By routing requests through residential and mobile proxies, the success rate jumped from 61% to over 95% and content accuracy improved. The new setup...
Iran War Chokes ‘Major Driver’ of Global Economy
The U.S. war in Iran has choked the Strait of Hormuz, trapping roughly 15 million barrels of crude and 5 million barrels of petroleum products each day. The resulting supply squeeze pushed U.S. diesel prices 60 percent higher than a year ago, the...
Winners Announced for Supply Chain Excellence Awards MEA 2026
The second annual Supply Chain Excellence Awards Middle East & Africa (MEA) announced winners in an online ceremony hosted by Logistics Manager editor‑in‑chief John Thornton. Sixty‑six entries from 11 countries competed across 20 categories, including digital transformation, sustainability, automation and...
Jean-Hugues De Lamaze: Is Hormuz the New Fukushima?
A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly a quarter of global oil output and significant LNG volumes, creating the worst energy shock on record, according to the IEA. The disruption mirrors the systemic shock of Fukushima but...
Nexans to Acquire Republic Wire
Nexans announced it will acquire 100% of Republic Wire for an enterprise value of about €680 million (≈$741 million), with a possible €43 million (≈$47 million) earn‑out. Republic Wire generated roughly €520 million (≈$567 million) in revenue over the year to February 2026 and operates a...
US Offers Lower Tariffs for Canada, Mexico Steel, Aluminum Producers
The U.S. Commerce Department unveiled a process that lets Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum producers halve the Section 232 tariff from 50% to 25% if they pledge to build or expand primary production facilities in the United States. To qualify,...
Indonesia Strengthens Turkish Defence Ties with Kizilelma Drone Order
Indonesia has signed a deal for 12 Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned aerial vehicles, with options for an additional 48, creating up to five drone squadrons. The agreement, signed with Baykar and local partner Republikorp, includes domestic production and a maintenance centre,...
Iran News: Pres Trump Is Considering Renewing Project Freedom
President Trump is reportedly weighing a restart of Project Freedom, a U.S.-led naval operation to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran limited transit. Tehran has countered by demanding the United States clean up alleged nuclear‑dust contamination...
MDA Space Officially Opens New Montreal Facility to Support Satellite Prime Contractor Strategy
MDA Space has opened a 185,000‑square‑foot satellite manufacturing plant in Montreal, doubling its production footprint. The facility is designed for high‑volume assembly of the AURORA software‑defined satellites, targeting up to 400 units per year. Automated equipment and a proprietary test...
Tonnages Rebound as Flower Surge Ends
Global air‑freight volumes slipped 7% in week 18 as the seasonal flower surge for Mother’s Day faded and Labor‑Day holidays curbed shipments. Despite the dip, April delivered a 5% year‑on‑year tonnage rebound and average rates surged 28% to $3.17 per kilogram,...
Logistics Leaders to Gather in Bucharest for the European Freight Forwarders Congress
The European Freight Forwarders Congress will convene in Bucharest from May 18‑20, 2026, merging the 16th SEEFF Congress with the 2nd FIATA REU Field Meeting under FIATA patronage. Organized by Romania’s Freight Forwarders Association, the three‑day event will host over...
Intel to Make Apple Chips: Report
Apple and Intel have reached a preliminary deal for Intel to manufacture certain Apple processors, including chips for the upcoming MacBook Neo and possibly entry‑level M‑series SoCs. Apple is looking to diversify its supply chain as TSMC faces capacity constraints...
Inside Bot Auto’s Fully Autonomous Commercial Launch Field Report
Bot Auto launched a fully autonomous, revenue‑generating freight run on April 29, 2026, covering 231 miles from northeast Houston to Hutchins, Texas. The truck operated without a driver, safety attendant, or remote operator, making it the first carrier to earn...
Iran Oil Crisis: Geography of Energy Risk Is Changing with Renewables, Not Disappearing
The article warns that batteries, while touted as a path to energy independence, are creating a new concentration risk because China dominates the supply chain for cells and critical materials. It cites the $1.5 trillion, ten‑year JP Morgan initiative focused on nuclear,...
Kuehne+Nagel Adds New Hyderbad Airfreight Cross-Dock
Kuehne+Nagel has opened a 248 sq m air‑freight cross‑dock in Hyderabad to serve the city’s booming pharmaceutical sector. The facility features dedicated temperature zones of 2‑8 °C and 15‑25 °C and complies with the company’s HealthChain quality standard. Hyderabad accounts for more than 40%...
Behind the Scenes Tour: From Ingredients to the Shelf
Women in Nutraceuticals organized a behind‑the‑scenes tour of Adept Life Sciences, Arizona Custom Blends and 21st Century HealthCare, revealing the full supplement supply chain from raw ingredient testing to shelf‑ready bottles. Each company isolates incoming materials, conducts identity and microbiological...
Papa Johns, Wing Launch Drone Delivery Pilot in North Carolina
Papa Johns and Wing, an Alphabet-owned drone service, have launched a pilot delivering toasted sandwiches by drone in Charlotte, North Carolina. The program, operating from Indian Trail, offers three sandwich varieties through the Wing app and will later integrate directly...
Quantum Announces Participation in the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) Summit
Quantum Critical Metals Corp. announced its participation in the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) Summit 5, scheduled for May 13‑14, 2026 in Toronto. CEO Marcy Kiesman will deliver a featured talk on the geopolitics of rubidium, gallium and cesium. The two‑day event convenes mining, defense,...
U.S.-managed Bulk Ship Attacked in Persian Gulf
A 590‑foot bulk carrier, the Safesea Neha, was struck by a projectile near Doha, Qatar on May 10, causing a small fire but no injuries. The vessel, managed by U.S.‑based Safesea Group and sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, is the...
ATA Admits Driver Shortage Myth, Blames CDL Mills
The lie that will not die The ATA planted the driver shortage narrative in every single media outlet they could find and it’s become boiler plate for every mainstream trucking article including this one: “Across the nation, as many as 200,000 immigrant...
Saudi MAP Shipment Departs; Eight Phosphate Ships Await
Incase you are wondering how the global fertilizer crisis is shaping up - the 2nd Saudi cargo of MAP just left the Persian Gulf for Brazil since the end of Feb. There are 8 ships loaded w/phosphates waiting. https://t.co/MjbR9M1Cx7
Amazon Offers Non-Sellers More of Its Supply Chain Services
Amazon launched Amazon Supply Chain Services, a unified portal offering freight, distribution, fulfillment and parcel shipping to any business, not just marketplace sellers. CEO Andy Jassy likened the expansion to the growth of AWS, positioning logistics as a new revenue...
Trump Opens Beef Imports to Curb Soaring Prices
Imports (and tariff cuts) to the rescue, AGAIN: "Trump Clears Way for More Beef Imports, Aiming to Bring Down Record-High Prices" https://t.co/PrVADPxrF7 https://t.co/WqLArEHL6p
Jones Act Waiver Reveals Cronies' Real-Time Meltdown
An unintended benefit of the current Jones Act waiver is getting to see the cronies melt down in real time https://t.co/pnFrzdrDXJ
Toyota to Build Vehicle Plant in Maharashtra, India
Toyota Motor announced a new vehicle plant in the Bidkin Industrial Area of Maharashtra, slated to begin production in the first half of 2029. The facility, run by Toyota Kirloskar Motor, will produce a new SUV with an annual capacity...
Record Diesel Prices Threaten Truckers, SMEs, and Consumers
If diesel hits an all time record? What will it do to trucking? Especially owner operators? And to supply chains? Especially SMEs? And consumers?
UP-NS Merger Would Give One Firm 50% Rail Control
"A combined UP-NS could place nearly 50% of U.S. freight rail traffic in the hands of a single company that already has a troubled history of abusing market power to the detriment of American businesses & workers.."...
US Rare‑earth Push Meets Malaysian Ethical Opposition
Fascinating, the U.S. attempt to break China's rare earth magnet monopoly is running into opposition from the refiners in Malaysia, who don't want to produce materials that Israel can use to kill children. https://t.co/tDIKoVJGhP
Europe’s US Exports Shrinking at Pandemic‑crisis Pace
Europe's exports to the US are contracting at a similar rate to what we saw during the 2020 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis. Via StanChart: https://t.co/glkSUbAlPG
Kharg Island Sees Longest Tanker‑free Stretch Since War’s Start
Kharg Island update: @CopernicusEU satellite imagery shows no supertanker loadings on May 8, May 9 and May 11 (we don't have data for May 10 from either Sentinel 1 or Sentinel-2 🛰️). It looks like the longest stretch without loadings...
Trump Pushes Stricter Buy American Rules for Federal Purchases
Trump said Sunday that federal agencies must prioritize American-made products in government purchasing, touting efforts to tighten enforcement of "Buy American" policies and limit exceptions that allow foreign goods. https://t.co/kmbwc5U72S
CVSA Roadcheck Targets ELD Tampering and Load Securement
CVSA Roadcheck is May 12-14 and this time around the DOT is focused on ELD tampering/falsification and they’ll be rating the strap work with a focus on load securement Brokers: how’s capacity looking? Truckers: are you sitting or running this week?...