Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Iranian drone strikes hit Kuwait’s oil infrastructure ahead of OPEC+ talks
Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s oil infrastructure, causing severe material damage to petrochemical plants, a government office complex and desalination facilities, just hours before an OPEC+ meeting where members agreed in principle to raise output by 206,000 barrels per day in May.
Also developing:
In this Bulwark Podcast episode, host Tim Miller chats with Atlantic editor‑in‑chief Joe Weisenthal and journalist Jeffrey Goldberg about the economic fallout of the Iran‑Israel conflict and the broader implications for U.S. defense policy. They dissect the controversial Signal‑chat scandal involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, highlighting how lax communication protocols and political posturing risk compromising national security. Goldberg offers a media‑industry perspective, critiquing the Pentagon’s increasingly theatrical press briefings and the erosion of traditional military education. The conversation also touches on the shifting political landscape, including the future of the Republican Party and upcoming European elections.
Africa’s airfreight sector is projected to grow 6% in 2025, far outpacing global forecasts, as intra‑African trade expands under the AfCFTA and consumer demand rises. Companies are shifting from sea‑dominant logistics to integrated air solutions that promise speed and reliability....
AtomBite.AI launched its first commercial robot, the M1 Takeout Packing Robot, to automate the chaotic "last meter" of food‑delivery fulfillment in restaurants. The system runs on a proprietary dual‑model AI brain that lets existing hardware manipulate unpredictable items like crushed...
Fleet management has shifted from basic maintenance to a data‑driven strategic function, leveraging real‑time GPS, AI routing, and predictive analytics to cut costs and boost utilization. Modern platforms integrate telematics, driver safety, and fuel monitoring, turning vehicles into measurable business...
Toll Group has entered a sale‑and‑leaseback deal for its 25 Loyang Crescent logistics hub in Singapore, selling the property to CapitaLand Ascendas REIT. The agreement includes a 12‑year triple‑net lease with an optional six‑year extension for the wharf and jetty...
Waste‑collection firms warn that dwindling diesel supplies could trigger bin service cut‑backs within days to weeks. They have been omitted from the government’s “priority fuel user” list, leaving trucks and processing equipment without fuel. With diesel projected at A$4 per...
Southern Sky Aviation inaugurated a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Trent Lott International Airport in Pascagoula, Mississippi on March 19, turning the airport into an official point of entry for international flights. The 24/7 customs service, part of...
Automation is reshaping California's industrial real estate, turning warehouses and factories into high‑throughput, technology‑driven facilities. Tenants now prioritize power capacity, data connectivity, clear heights and flexible layouts over simple square‑footage metrics. This shift is driving stronger demand for sites in...
Cannondale has terminated its UK distribution agreement with Saddleback, opting for a direct‑to‑dealer model under Pon.Bike UK. Starting 16 April, retailers will access Cannondale products through Pon.Bike’s B2B platform, with the Pon.Bike sales team handling backorders and future inventory. The partnership,...
New Zealand’s Marsden Point refinery shut in 2022 was a private business decision, not a direct government order as some politicians claim. The plant had supplied up to 70% of the nation’s fuel before closing, but relied on imported Middle‑Eastern...
The NSF‑backed Tech Metal Transformation Challenge, run through Stride Ventures, awarded roughly $16 million to eight winning teams for metal‑recovery technologies. Each winner receives up to $2 million in the first 10‑month stage, with potential follow‑on funding of $2.5 million and $3 million for...
War in Iran has sharply disrupted global air travel, with jet fuel prices roughly doubling after the Strait of Hormuz blockage. Airlines worldwide are raising fares and fuel surcharges, exemplified by Air France and KLM’s $58 increase on long‑haul tickets....
Canada National Railway (CN) was named Canada Post’s National Carrier – Multi Mode winner, citing its strong safety performance and a zero‑incident year. The accolade underscores CN’s reliability in mail transport across Canada. Meanwhile, CPKC de México President Oscar del Cueto was...
In a 3EDGE Week in Review video, Chief Investment Strategist Fritz Folts and CEO/CIO Steve Cucchiaro examine the geopolitical risks of a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz. They outline the waterway’s strategic role in global oil transport and...
AI‑native ERP startup Doss announced a $55 million Series B round led by Madrona and Premji Invest to expand its AI‑driven inventory management layer. The solution plugs into existing accounting platforms, allowing mid‑market consumer brands to synchronize physical goods data with their...
The Container News (CN) Index rose to 654 this week, confirming the market’s placement in the Very High Pressure range. Freight rates strengthened across major lanes such as Far East‑North Europe, Asia‑U.S. East Coast, and Asia‑U.S. West Coast, as well...
The FDA issued a final rule on March 5, 2026 establishing a uniform 12‑digit National Drug Code (NDC) that will replace the current variable 10‑digit format, with an effective date of March 7, 2033 and a seven‑year preparation window followed by a three‑year transition...
Wiingy, a tutor‑marketplace, released a data‑driven report identifying the 25 most‑learned skills in America, drawing from over 6.7 million monthly Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs searches. Technology topics dominate, accounting for 33 % of queries, with Python, artificial intelligence and data science...
European B2B buyers are increasingly adopting AI, with nearly 80% using it regularly in procurement and payments, according to TreviPay’s survey of 550 buyers across the UK and key European markets. The technology is most prized for enhancing decision‑making, fraud...
Signode will showcase its integrated automation and ASRS portfolio at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, highlighting how its packaging, robotics, and material‑handling technologies work together as a connected system. The exhibit features the Octopus Prestige stretch‑wrapping machine paired with an autonomous mobile...
Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran’s “Toll Booth” Plan Threatens Global Trade This is a big one, folks. Prof Rob Huebert, @UCalgary, discusses international maritime law and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. https://youtu.be/nPQMTWEySvE
Turkey, the world’s largest seaborne scrap importer, has begun receiving containerised ferrous scrap from the UK, a trade previously limited to Asian destinations. The shift was driven by Switzerland‑based Stelaris Resources, which arranged the first deliveries from Mellor Metals and...
Trump essentially declared war on the Philippines when he unilaterally went to war with Iran. The Philippines imports 98% of its oil from the middle east. They were immediately thrust into a formal national state of emegency, for a YEAR....
JUST IN: 🇶🇦 QatarEnergy declares force majeure on LNG contracts with China, Italy, South Korea, and Belgium.
AI adoption in packaging is accelerating as costs drop and functionality expands, according to PMMI’s February 2026 report. Consumer packaged goods firms and equipment OEMs are moving beyond pilot projects toward plant‑wide AI orchestration, especially in machine vision, knowledge transfer,...
FTR, I suggested the US look at Abu Musa and the Tunbs as avenues to securing the Straight of Hormuz back on March 5… https://t.co/UU4UsAph4d
The trouble with looking at the current Hormuz crisis through the lens of which countries have historically imported the volumes is that all of these countries will now be rabidly bidding for all the other barrels. A barrel of oil lost...
The episode reports that the Philippines has declared a national energy emergency as diesel and petrol prices more than double amid the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, prompting an executive order that lets the government control fuel distribution, purchase supplies, and subsidise costs....
Don’t mean to rage bait y’all but have you seen this article? “Like working on a farm, driving a truck is far from the most rewarding occupation, which is why both industries are chronically understaffed and need immigrants to fill their...
What of they are giving us Kharg Island? Why would they suddenly be so cooperative? There aren’t many theories out there where this makes any sense… but my sources suggest it may be true.
The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on importing foreign‑made consumer wireless routers, citing national‑security concerns. The move threatens to upend the U.S. consumer‑electronics supply chain, prompting industry alarm and debate over the agency’s authority.
Russia is earning the most from its oil exports since the 2022 Ukraine invasion. https://t.co/71t01Q9mI9 Meanwhile some carmakers are considering buying aluminum from Russia. “We don’t really want to take supplies from Russia but we have no choice” https://t.co/fzAXIO4N0x
📘 My favorite leadership read this week. What’s on your list? 💡 The math of flow, variability, WIP, and cycle time—must-know laws. Helpful resource: 🔗 https://t.co/2wgrSzLcqG #FactoryPhysics #OperationsScience #Flow #MachineShopTechTalk #Manufacturing #MachineShop https://t.co/X3kAibF2OI
USA Rare Earth secured $1.6 bn in U.S. government funding and $1.5 bn from private investors, while MP Materials received a 15% government stake and a $110/kg price floor from the Department of Defense. The twin capital moves have lifted both stocks...
Planning for two-three weeks more of Iran war. What does Iran do? Are we teaching a tipping point of how long the Strait will be closed or have few ships transiting? Then what? Maritime? Supply chains. Global economy?
“Iran holds a lot of cards with the Strait Of Hormuz.” That’s the quote to remember. Geography can be economic power, and “that vulnerability remains pretty much forever.” https://t.co/OoCOYi8LMc
PepsiCo announced it will cut roughly one‑fifth of its U.S. product portfolio, targeting up to 20% of SKUs as part of a strategic deal with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. The move includes plant closures and a push to redirect...
"Input prices for services rose to the highest since May, while those for manufacturers jumped to a seven-month high." https://t.co/NMR6KvBOzE https://t.co/DhoJ1m76qO
"$5 Diesel is Crushing Truckers. It Will Soon Be Felt Across the Economy." https://t.co/u6Z4qcVLci https://t.co/m3UrTU1L2r
The Philippines faces a looming crisis as the Strait of Hormuz disruption threatens oil‑derived fertilizer supplies, driving urea prices to roughly P1,500 (about $27) per bag. With no strategic fertilizer reserves and a rice supply gap of nearly four million...
"Rare Earths, Vulcan, and Government Equity Stakes" https://t.co/O8xyNepv2V via @CatoInstitute @DeHavenTad "The case for speed is not a case for ownership—and the case for national security is not a case for normalizing a model in which politically favored firms receive...
The freight data doesn't lie... It has been signaling incredibly strong manufacturing conditions for months. I am seeing some of the strongest freight volume charts tied to industrial activity I've seen since COVID. https://t.co/jJXPO8D1OQ
PPG has introduced InsightsNav, a cloud‑based analytics platform that consolidates seastock coating purchase data for shipowners and operators. The tool standardizes fragmented records into interactive dashboards, enabling real‑time spend visibility and predictive budgeting. By highlighting port‑level pricing and order‑consolidation opportunities,...
Factoring in Iran’s “transit” fee. And what it does to the price of oil, LNG, and anything else moving thru the Strait.
Deployed Episode 1 is live. @jeffawilke scaled Amazon’s operations from a billion to a trillion dollars. We got into things he's rarely talked about publicly -- drones, lights-out factories, the future of Physical AI. Link below. https://t.co/BLWpc9TdvS
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has awarded Guangzhou Shipyard International in China a £200 million (~$250 million) contract to build two new freight‑flex ferries for Scotland’s Northern Isles routes. The vessels will replace the aging MV Helliar and MV Hildasay, offering faster speeds, up...
As a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Japanese carmakers are looking to BUY ALUMINUM from RUSSIA. RUSSIA = THE BIG WINNER OF TRUMP & NETANYAHU'S WAR. https://t.co/JIiV9xOkFp
TL;DR: Inland markets looking good, port markets less so. Nearshoring picking up steam. Great report by @CushWake, will put link below. https://t.co/srELQGxQpf
VesselBot’s 2025 port performance report, covering 660 terminals and 6,393 vessels, reveals stark regional and seasonal fragmentation in anchorage and berth times. Average anchorage per call was seven hours, ranging from 6.2 hours in July to 8.4 hours in December,...
Yumari is an AI‑driven infrastructure platform that links U.S. and Canadian direct‑to‑consumer brands with manufacturers across Latin America. The startup’s proprietary models automate supplier matching, product development, quality control, customs clearance and logistics, creating a true "manufacturing‑on‑demand" experience. By digitizing...
