Today's Supply Chain Pulse
50Hertz and Elia launch €752 million offshore HV cable logistics tender
German TSO 50Hertz and Belgian TSO Elia have issued a joint €752 million procurement for offshore high‑voltage cable repair logistics and jointing services. The framework spans multi‑year call‑off contracts from November 2027 to October 2035 and is divided into six lots, including three repair‑logistics lots worth €110 million each.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Dallas, Houston Continue to Lead U.S. Industrial Real Estate Growth
The post‑pandemic warehouse boom is cooling, with U.S. industrial construction now 60% below its 2022 peak. Despite the slowdown, net absorption across the 25 largest markets rose 19% last year, led by Dallas‑Fort Worth, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Chicago and Houston. Dallas‑Fort Worth added 22.9 million sq ft of new space and retains the biggest pipeline at 34.3 million sq ft, while Houston contributed 20.1 million sq ft. Midwest markets such as Indianapolis are seeing strong demand against limited new supply, driving vacancy declines.
JNPA Grants Ground Rent Relief as Truck Shortages Clog Box Flows
Indian shippers using the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) secured a 50% waiver on ground‑rent charges for import containers that overstayed due to severe truck‑driver shortages and yard congestion. The relief covers containers that arrived on or after May 1 and...
Why Europe Has the Dream, but Struggles to Build Freight-Tech Giants
Europe’s freight‑tech scene boasts innovative founders and early‑stage capital, but growth‑stage funding remains scarce. CEOs like Sennder’s David Nothacker note that once companies reach Series B‑C, European investors retreat, forcing firms to seek U.S. capital where exit routes are clearer. The...
Why Freight Decarbonisation Is Becoming an Infrastructure Race
GlobalData’s latest assessment finds freight decarbonisation will hinge on securing infrastructure, energy and supply chains rather than a single fuel. Tightening emissions regulations and rising demand create a split between firms that can lock in the necessary assets and those...
How Retailers Are Building More Resilient Delivery Networks in 2026
Retailers are abandoning single‑carrier reliance as e‑commerce volumes surge, dropping UPS, FedEx and USPS’s domestic share from 85% to 61% by 2025. The U.S. parcel market is set to reach 30.5 billion shipments by 2030, prompting a rise in regional carriers,...
Temper Your Expectations for the Hejaz Railway
Turkish transport minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu signed a multilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan to revive the historic Hejaz Railway, linking Turkey to the Red Sea via Jordan’s Aqaba port. While the pact promises a direct over‑land freight corridor...
MSC Smashes Liner Market Share Record
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has set a new industry benchmark by capturing 21.5% of global container capacity in May, surpassing Maersk’s 19.3% peak in 2018. The Swiss carrier’s fleet now totals 7.33 million TEU after adding 831,400 TEU in 2025, the fastest...
DHL Broadens Its Asia-Pacific Data Centre Logistics Capabilities
DHL Supply Chain is scaling its Asia‑Pacific data‑center logistics footprint, adding over 30,000 m² of dedicated warehouse space now and planning a further 130,000 m² of built‑to‑suit capacity in Malaysia and Thailand within two years. The total regional infrastructure will surpass 160,000 m²,...
Amazon Opens New Northampton Fulfilment Centre as Part of £1bn Investment
Amazon opened a new 900,000‑square‑foot fulfillment centre in Northampton, featuring three floors of robotics and tens of millions of stored items. It also announced a 900,000‑sq‑ft Kettering site that will process about 20 million items each week and create roughly 2,000...
Rail Freight Wagon Tracking Set for Steady Growth, but Penetration Remains Limited
Rail freight wagon tracking devices are projected to grow from 875,000 units at the end of 2025 to nearly 1.4 million by 2030, according to Berg Insight. Annual shipments are expected to double to about 350,000 units by 2030, yet overall...
Dangerous Waters: Geopolitics, Supply Chains and Access to Medicines
Medicine shortages that have long plagued the industry are now being amplified by geopolitical turmoil, especially the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict that closed the Straits of Hormuz. The war stalled 20% of global oil output and 18% of air cargo, choking the...
Laser Tracker Technology Improves Inspection of Rail Vehicle Shock Absorber Mounts
Rail operators are adopting laser tracker technology to overhaul inspection of shock absorber mounts, critical components for bogie stability. The API Radian system delivers micron‑level accuracy over an 80‑meter radius and can collect up to 1,000 points per second, dramatically shortening...
Why the Port Fee Suspension Is Running Out of Road
In November 2025 the Trump administration halted Section 301 port fees on vessels linked to Chinese owners, framing the move as a diplomatic concession within a broader U.S.-China trade settlement. The suspension, originally intended as a temporary relief, is set...
Hong Kong Reviews Funding and Training Schemes to Strengthen Logistics Sector
Hong Kong’s government updated its logistics subsidy and training programmes to boost digital and green capabilities. The Pilot Subsidy Scheme now caps support at HK$2 million (≈$256,000) per enterprise, with 247 firms benefitting so far. The Professional Training on Smart and...
Freightos Weekly Update: Ocean Rates Climbing, with More Increases Expected Soon
Ocean freight rates are climbing sharply, with transpacific spot quotes reaching $4,800 per FEU on the West Coast and $6,300 on the East Coast—a weekly rise of over 50 %. The surge is driven by higher oil prices, an imminent 80 %...
DR Congo’s Curbs on Cobalt Spark Squeeze in Vital Battery Element
The Democratic Republic of Congo announced new restrictions on cobalt exports, capping shipments at roughly half of domestic production and imposing higher royalties. The policy, aimed at boosting state revenues and tightening control over a strategic mineral, has already pushed...
Robots, Intelligent Machines, and the New Era of Inspection
Manufacturers are entering a transformative era as robotics, 3D scanning, machine vision, deep learning, and augmented reality converge into what the author calls Physical AI. While U.S. robot density remains modest at roughly 307 robots per 10,000 workers, the technology...
Compact Six-Axis PiPER Arms Deliver Industrial Precision
PiPER #Robotic Arms: Compact Powerhouses with Six-Axis Precision and Industrial Versatility by @IntEngineering #Robots #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/dazepxTVqq
Honeywell Charts Automation, AI-Driven Future at 50th Anniversary User Group
Honeywell marked the 50th anniversary of its User Group in Phoenix, using the event to unveil a strategic split into three independent, publicly traded companies. The remaining entity, Honeywell Technologies, will become a pure‑play automation firm serving process, building and...
China to Bust Yangtze River Chokepoint with US$11 Billion ‘Water Staircase’ Project
China has begun construction on an $11.4 billion water‑staircase project on the Yangtze River, incorporated into the 2026‑2030 15th Five‑Year Plan. The centerpiece is a series of mega ship locks near the Three Gorges Dam that will accommodate larger vessels and...
FreightWaves Today: Weekly Diesel Fuel Average Continues to Fall
Smart trailer technology is moving beyond GPS to include sensors and AI‑powered cameras that monitor tire health, brake condition, door status and cargo utilization. At the same time, the U.S. diesel benchmark slipped 14 cents to $5.21 per gallon, the...
GM Becomes First Automaker to Partner with Redwood Across Full Battery Lifecycle
General Motors has broadened its alliance with Redwood Materials to span the entire battery lifecycle, adding a 1.5 MW/7.2 MWh second‑life energy storage system at its Michigan plant. The deployment, built from roughly 100 repurposed GM packs, is projected to save the...
Chery Visits Baolong's European Manufacturing Center
On June 8, Chery Automobile’s executive vice‑president Qi Shilong led a four‑person delegation to Baolong’s European manufacturing hub in Hungary. The teams discussed supplying Chery’s European plants with Baolong‑made components such as TPMS, sensors, busbars and air‑suspension systems, and examined capacity and...
Amazon Pledges $10.8 Bn to Revamp European Fulfilment Network and Launch New Robotics Strategy
Amazon announced a €10 bn (≈$10.8 bn) investment to expand and automate its European fulfilment network, adding 25,000 jobs and a $1 bn Career Choice upskilling fund. The plan, unveiled at the Delivering the Future event in London, introduces next‑generation robots such as...
AD Ports Group Launches Trial Operations at Safaga Terminal in Egypt
AD Ports Group has started trial operations at the Noatum Ports‑Safaga terminal in Egypt, a step toward its full commercial launch later this year. The 810,000‑sqm facility, built under a 30‑year concession, features a 1,000‑metre quay and can handle up...
White Paper: AI Agent Readiness and Adoption in Freight
FreightWaves and Trimble released a white paper revealing that AI agents are moving from pilot projects into routine freight operations. Their survey of carriers, brokers, shippers and owner‑operators shows a growing share of firms already using AI for repetitive tasks...
Senate Democrats Push USTR on China-Linked Port Fees
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Kelly have given the U.S. Trade Representative a two‑week deadline to restore port‑call fees on Chinese‑built and operated vessels. The fees, briefly reinstated in October, were suspended for a year amid broader trade talks with...
How Should Small Manufacturers Build an Effective Quality Control Program?
Small and medium‑size manufacturers often lack dedicated engineering resources to implement modern quality‑control (QC) systems. As QC measures expand across the production line, these firms must adopt structured approaches to cut waste and boost product consistency. The white paper outlines...
APSEZ Secures Marine Services Contract for LNG Export Project
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) secured a ten‑year marine services contract for the Southern Energy FLNG project in Argentina, marking its first entry into South America. The award, granted to its subsidiary Adani Harbour International FZCO in a...
Longpoint Plans €400m Investment in German and Dutch Logistics Assets
Longpoint, a European logistics REIT, announced a €400 million (~$432 million) investment in German and Dutch logistics assets, extending its infill industrial strategy into two of the continent’s most supply‑constrained markets. The capital will be used to acquire or develop high‑density warehouse...
China Stands by Japan Rare Earth Export Restrictions
China’s Ministry of Commerce reaffirmed its export ban on rare‑earth products to Japan, classifying them as dual‑use materials despite U.S. requests for a lift. The restriction follows heightened Taiwan‑related tensions and mirrors a 2010 curtailment that exposed Japan’s dependence on...
Cando Rail & Terminals Establishes ONexpress Toronto Operations Base
Cando Rail & Terminals opened a new operations base in Toronto at the former CP Obico yard, deploying two GP38‑3 locomotives with distributed power units and 14 maintenance‑of‑way flatcars. The company announced hiring for engineers, conductors and assistant superintendents to...
Singapore Post Unveils High-Tech Automated Parcel Sorting Hub
Singapore Post (SingPost) has opened a new automated parcel‑sorting hub at its Regional eCommerce Logistics Hub in Tampines, a S$30 million (~$22 million) investment aimed at expanding capacity and speed. The facility uses AI‑driven robotics to handle the surge in e‑commerce deliveries...
Panama Canal to Lower Neopanamax Draft Limit in July
The Panama Canal Authority will cut the maximum Neopanamax draft to 49.5 feet (15 m) on July 1, a half‑foot reduction aimed at preserving water after the severe shortages of 2023‑24. The change coincides with a scheduled dry‑lock maintenance at the Gatun...
Private Investors Pour Millions Into Logistics Real Estate
Industrial real estate manager Alterra IOS has secured a $244 million loan from Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies to fund its industrial outdoor storage (IOS) portfolio. The loan is secured by 37 IOS properties spanning 165 acres and 806,000 sq ft across 27...
First Reshored Islander Reaches 75% Completion
Britten‑Norman announced that the first new Islander built at its Bembridge facility has reached 75% completion, fulfilling a contract for the Falkland Islands Government Air Service. The aircraft now has its fuselage and fin joined, wing assembly attached, and fuel‑tank...
Walmart Launches In-Store Restaurant Delivery, Targeting DoorDash and UberEats with Subway Rollout
Walmart announced a new meal‑delivery offering that lets shoppers order Subway sandwiches through its app, starting in six states and expanding to 1,400 locations by the end of summer. The move integrates in‑store restaurants into Walmart Express Delivery, positioning the...
European Union: The Single Market’s Invisible Borders
The European Commission has opened a 12‑week public consultation (until 20 August) on how to curb territorial supply constraints (TSCs) that block cross‑border arbitrage within the EU single market. Recent antitrust actions—Mondelēz fined €337.5 million (≈$368 million) and AB InBev €200 million (≈$218 million)—highlight the limits...
Focusing on Human-Centered Innovation: An Interview with Karli Sage
Karli Sage, vice president of supply chain, technology and engineering at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, has steered the distributor into a digital, robotic era while emphasizing human‑centered innovation. She champions automation, inventory‑counting drones, collaborative robots and decision‑intelligence software that...
Shein Opens New Distribution Center in Ireland for European Logistics
Chinese fast‑fashion leader Shein has opened a 1,486‑square‑meter distribution center in Dublin’s Greenogue Business Park, bringing the facility under its own operational control after previously using an external partner. The new hub employs thirty staff and is part of Shein’s...
DSV Launches Luxembourg–Indianapolis Pharma Air Route
DSV has opened a dedicated Luxembourg‑to‑Indianapolis air lane for temperature‑controlled pharmaceutical shipments. The route joins two key nodes in the global drug supply chain, leveraging DSV’s Air ThermoDirect network to cut exposure to uncontrolled environments. Indianapolis, a fast‑growing life‑sciences logistics...
Kia Signs Assembly MoU with Stellantis in Malaysia
South Korean automaker Kia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Stellantis Malaysia to commence local assembly of its vehicles in the third quarter of 2024. Under the agreement, Stellantis will act as Kia’s contract assembler for completely knocked‑down (CKD)...
Iranian Regional Command Blacklisted by EU over Strait of Hormuz Toll
The European Union on June 9, 2026 placed an Iranian regional command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and two senior officials on its sanctions list. The blacklist targets the command that runs the “Tehran Tollbooth,” a screening system that forces...
1Q26 Snapshot
The American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association’s Q1 2026 carload report shows short‑line volumes essentially unchanged from the same period in 2025. Originations and terminations ticked up modestly while bridged movements dropped roughly 20%. Agricultural shipments surged more than 30%...
Why Commercial Supply Chains Break Government Program Assumptions
Commercial supply chains excel at speed, price and availability, but they often cannot meet federal requirements for traceability, compliant sourcing, lifecycle support and auditability. When program offices rely on retail pricing and delivery estimates, those figures become budget anchors and...
AI PCs Could Become the Next Execution Layer for Supply Chain Workflows
NVIDIA and Microsoft unveiled RTX Spark, a new class of AI‑enabled PCs boasting up to 1 petaflop of AI performance, 128 GB unified memory, Blackwell RTX graphics and Grace CPUs. The announcement signals a shift from cloud‑only AI copilots toward local agents that...
Freedom Intermodal Expands Operations in New Orleans East
Freedom Intermodal Tank Services opened a new bulk‑liquid packaging facility in New Orleans East, adding a fully automated drum‑and‑tote filling line, warehousing, transloading, heating, blending and a 450‑car rail‑in‑transit yard. The site sits adjacent to its existing France Rd. operations, just...
Raymond to Preview Updated Courier Automated Tow Tractor at Automate 2026
Raymond Corp. will unveil an updated Courier automated tow tractor and stacker at Automate 2026 in Chicago. The new Courier integrates telematics, virtual‑reality interfaces, and advanced energy systems to boost warehouse efficiency. Raymond also highlights its 4260 stand‑up counterbalanced truck...
Pentagon Bars Alibaba, Baidu, BYD From U.S. Defense Contracts in Expanded Military List
The U.S. Department of Defense has added Alibaba Group, Baidu Inc. and electric‑vehicle maker BYD Co. to its 1260H “Chinese military companies” list, barring them from future U.S. defense contracts. The move expands the blacklist to nearly 200 firms and...
EU Unveils Chips Act 2.0 to Strengthen Semiconductor Sovereignty
The European Union unveiled a proposal for a Chips Act 2.0, part of a broader Digital Sovereignty Package aimed at reducing dependence on non‑EU chips and building a resilient semiconductor supply chain. The move ties into parallel EU initiatives on...