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:
Major U.S. and European liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters warned on Monday that the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have created a sizable supply shortfall, threatening global energy balance. The conflict has disrupted key export routes and halted several cargoes, leaving an estimated gap of 8‑10 million tonnes per year. Suppliers remain cautiously optimistic that markets will eventually rebalance, but industry analysts project a multi‑year timeline for full normalization. The alarm underscores the fragility of LNG supply chains amid geopolitical turbulence.
Automation and AI are rapidly reshaping modern vessels, replacing traditional watchkeeping with unmanned machinery spaces and predictive analytics. While sensors and alarms improve efficiency, they also erode engineers' sensory familiarity with equipment, leading to reduced situational awareness. The surge of...
Altius and Progeco have launched a new cold‑storage warehouse at the Port of Bilbao’s ZAD‑3 area. The facility features a 300 sqm antechamber and a 550 sqm storage zone capable of holding 1,100 pallets of frozen fish, seafood and meat. The project,...
🚛"... 96% of transportation companies reported productivity improvements from AI over the past 12 months, typically in the 1–20% range. For an industry characterised by fragmented systems, labour intensity and thin margins, AI is becoming a central lever for operational...
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that developers are close to finalizing a viable route and Pacific‑coast terminus for a new crude pipeline from the province’s oil sands. The project seeks to unlock additional capacity for Canadian crude to reach global...
Lockheed Martin Australia announced a partnership with Rheinmetall Defence Australia to develop a domestic sustainment model for the expanding HIMARS fleet. The two firms will assess existing manufacturing facilities in Queensland and South Australia to provide through‑life support, spare‑parts logistics,...
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a bilateral understanding with Singapore’s leader Lawrence Wong to maintain the flow of essential fuels such as diesel and liquefied natural gas. The pledge comes as both countries confront tightening global fuel supplies and...
Retailers worldwide are feeling the squeeze as global logistics and fulfillment costs have risen more than 20% over the past three years. At the same time, 66% of shoppers now bounce across two or more channels before buying, fragmenting the...
A Fleet Advantage survey reveals that nearly half of U.S. heavy‑duty trucking executives are stuck in "procurement paralysis" as shifting tariffs and low‑emission engine mandates create uncertainty about new truck purchases. The indecision has forced fleets to keep older trucks...
The Pentagon is overhauling its acquisition system by replacing traditional program managers with Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) who oversee capability portfolios. A new Challenge‑Based Acquisition model will post problem statements on a unified marketplace, inviting commercial solutions through flexible contracting....
Swisslog used MODEX 2026 to unveil AgileStore, a 4‑way roaming pallet shuttle designed for high‑density, flexible storage, and its SynQ orchestration platform that unifies WMS, WES and WCS functions. The AgileStore system can travel forward, backward, laterally and vertically, allowing...
Keller Rinaudo Cliffton from Zipline thought making the drones would be the hardest part. It was only 15% of the problem. The company spent 9 months figuring out delivery for one hospital. Weeks of all-nighters. Building inventory software in a...
Refined product shipments on medium‑range tankers from the US Gulf to Europe broke the $100 per tonne barrier for the first time in nearly two decades, reaching $108.08/t on a Worldscale 545 voyage. The surge is linked to Iran's de‑facto...
Australian airports are confronting a perfect storm of market pressures, including severe airspace disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict and sharply rising airfares. While Asian and North American hubs have capacity to absorb some diverted traffic, the loss of...
Mexico’s Lázaro Cárdenas port has formalized a Partial Assignment of Rights contract with Porter Lázaro Cárdenas SA de CV to build and operate a new Multi‑Purpose Terminal IV. Signed on Jan 26, 2026 and registered Feb 26, the terminal will serve cabotage, mineral...
Australian startup New Energy Transport completed its first electric long‑haul delivery from Sydney to Canberra, targeting a fleet of 20 electric trucks by the end of next year. The 290 km run cost about $33 in charging—roughly a third of a...
Venture Global Inc. announced a short‑term contract to supply Vitol Inc. with 1.5 million tonnes per year of LNG starting in 2026. The agreement ties pricing to the Henry Hub natural‑gas index, offering a market‑linked price mechanism. Venture Global said the...
president trump has backed away from his self-imposed 48 hour deadline on iran. this is to be welcomed. if trump had followed through it would have been a disaster for all sides. as of now, nothing else has changed.
The Straits of Hormuz and maritime generally is THE story of the war with Iran. Iran cannot be left in charge of the Straits and choke the world. I recorded a special episode of Invested with @AmiDaniel1, founder & CEO...
President Donald Trump announced a five‑day pause on planned strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure, citing "productive conversations" with Tehran. The talks, led by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, reportedly involved Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad‑Bagher Ghalibaf, though Iran publicly denied...
A 60 Minutes segment highlighted the widening gap between U.S. shipyards and Asian rivals, underscoring a long‑standing shipbuilding crisis. South Korean conglomerate Hanwha announced up to $5 billion to expand Philadelphia’s Philly Shipyard, aiming to boost annual output from under two...
Karli Sage, VP of Supply Chain Management, Technology and Engineering at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, is championing "human‑centered innovation" by deploying warehouse automation, drones, collaborative robots, and decision‑intelligence software that serve employees first. She emphasizes that technology should simplify...
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) launched the Framework for Regulatory Advanced Manufacturing Evaluation (FRAME) to create a regulatory pathway for emerging manufacturing technologies. FRAME focuses on four priority technologies—end‑to‑end continuous manufacturing, distributed manufacturing (including non‑traditional sites),...
Caterpillar has renewed its MineStar Command agreement with Fortescue’s Chichester Metals and FMG Solomon to supply and operate autonomous haulage software at three Western Australian mines. The extension continues a decade‑long deployment that began in 2012, reinforcing safety, reliability and...
Commodity Context released its March 2026 Global Oil Data Deck, highlighting the profound impact of the Iran‑War‑driven Hormuz stoppage on oil balances. Confirmed production shut‑ins are set to push the market into its largest deficit on record through March, while...
As with its nuclear program, Iran can not unlearnt new knowledge. And Tehran has learnt lots in the last 4 weeks. Iran assumed the Strait of Hormuz gave it a lever. But its effectiveness was unproven, and it didn’t know...
CSX has turned drones from a proof‑of‑concept into an enterprise‑wide asset, now operating over 250 unmanned aircraft across its rail network. More than 350 employees hold FAA Part 107 certifications, enabling eight departments to leverage aerial data for inspections, mapping and...
The Port Authority of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas secured roughly €2 million (about $2.2 million) from Italy’s Fund for Technological Innovation and Digitalization to build a private 5G network at the Port of Gioia Tauro. The project, which earned a top‑score...
Exel Composites announced that its Erlanger, Kentucky factory has earned ISO 14001 certification, confirming a robust environmental management system. The certification validates the plant’s waste‑reduction, energy‑efficiency and chemical‑use initiatives and embeds the Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act (PDCA) cycle into daily operations. It aligns the...
ABB has released SPR2025, the latest Symphony Plus distributed control system (DCS) package, integrating its Automation Extended platform. The update adds system‑wide OPC UA, an Ethernet backbone, and support for modern Microsoft operating systems and virtualization platforms, enabling secure, interoperable...
Source Logistics, a fast‑growing 3PL with 25 warehouses and over 5.8 million square feet of FDA‑ and SQF‑compliant space, has selected IFS Softeon’s warehouse management system to power its nationwide expansion. The Softeon platform offers multi‑tenant architecture, strong API integration and...
Cathay Cargo announced a strategic partnership with Wallenborn Transport to broaden its European trucking footprint. The agreement adds live shipment tracking and real‑time temperature monitoring, giving shippers greater visibility and control. Wallenborn operates 17 bases across 13 countries, linking more...
The California Public Utilities Commission has conditionally approved Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane facility as the first renewable natural gas (RNG) supplier under Senate Bill 1440. The project co‑digests organic waste and municipal wastewater, converting up to 104,000 tons of waste per year...
This has to be my favorite chart from the Week 12 JMIC Dashboard report on weekly ship transits. Suez down from 497 in 2023 to 248⬇️ Cape of Good Hope up from 348 to 710 ⬆️ Bab el-Mandeb 🍻 down from...
What the Ship (Ep140) 1⃣Hormuz Update 2⃣Shadow Fleet 3⃣ @60Minutes Talks US Shipbuilding 4⃣ China Summons Panama 5⃣5 Years of WGOWS Video: https://t.co/A4P0Z5DR3D https://t.co/vVTOnAfVdm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Parliament that India is actively negotiating with global partners to guarantee safe passage for vessels carrying oil, gas, fertilizers and other essential commodities through the Strait of Hormuz. The government is expanding its strategic petroleum...
Brokers will look you dead in the eye and tell you this carrier is safe https://t.co/jVhiZ5gu2z
Tankers carrying Arab light crude from the Western ports of Saudi Arabia Mapf rom @Kpler https://t.co/FT5mVn08sk
A Bloomberg‑tracked oil supertanker, the Omega Trader, has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first observed movement of Iraqi crude through the waterway since it was effectively closed at the start of the war. Managed by Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines,...
Sal gives us a clinic on the reason that the US Navy has not cleared the Strait.
No matter how you slice it, the United States stands to gain the most from the Hormuz crisis—but keep the timeframes separate, or the picture gets muddled fast. 👇👇👇
Kenya’s deep‑water Lamu port is rapidly becoming a fallback hub as cargo is diverted from the near‑shut Strait of Hormuz and the fractured Red Sea. The three‑berth facility is now handling volumes far beyond its original design, testing its operational...
"The Hanwha Philly shipyard delivers around 1 ship a year. A South Korean Hanwha shipyard delivers 1 a week." https://t.co/OwUFfT0mmc
We don’t find out we have a supply chain problem when everything is fine; we find out when we’re in a crisis and the shelves are empty. https://t.co/I0LD02tiAd
To give a scale of the sense of fertilizer disruption: The 13.5 Million tons of Urea behind Strait of Hormuz is 1/4th of global exports. This is the equivalent of 87% of U.S. corn production. Apple 🔊https://t.co/cMO23J6a4g Spotify📽️ https://t.co/CX48AK9HEc https://t.co/a0azQFg63V
#tradeXpresso: with the WTO #MC14 around the corner, let’s have a poll about the future of multilateralism in Tomorrowland. What do you see as the most likely scenario for #TradePolicy3.0? Not really sure what I mean? Click here first: https://t.co/lGxTVEATfb
I fully support "Made in India" replacing all "Made in China" products in the U.S.
Jet fuel prices have DOUBLED to over $200/barrel since the Iran war. Asian airlines and energy suppliers face MAJOR SHORTAGES. SIGNS OF A MAJOR CRISIS ARE APPEARING: Thousands of flights have already been canceled AIRLINES SHOULD SEND A BILL FOR DAMAGES TO...
Helium supply shortages due to the Iran war don't seem to be a threat to AI chip production right now. https://t.co/x0EWX4XCg7
A new geopolitical equilibrium could emerge in the Middle East that includes almost constant kinetic action and YET markets could be OK with that. The 1980 Iran-Iraq war is a good example of that. All that matters is whether ships...
