Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
VinFast scales EV deliveries and launches $500M plant in India
VinFast delivered 3,520 electric vehicles in a single 24‑hour period in Vietnam, showcasing its production and logistics capabilities. The company is breaking ground on a $500 million plant in Tamil Nadu that will support a 150,000‑vehicle‑per‑year capacity and serve as a regional export hub for right‑hand‑drive markets. Its next logistical test will be expanding into India and Indonesia.
Also developing:
FS Logistix, via its German arm TX Logistik, and Finland's Nurminen Logistics have launched a weekly 2,500‑km block‑train freight corridor between Castelguelfo, Italy and Frövi, Sweden. The service traverses Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden, delivering containers of food, beverages, tiles, pulp, wood, paper and steel in about two to three days. Operated jointly by Mercitalia Rail and TX Logistik’s multi‑system locomotives, the train is over 500 metres long and runs on a fixed schedule each week. The route is the longest continuous corridor in TX Logistik’s European network.
RailFreight.com’s opinion piece sparked a heated debate over Europe’s push for 740‑metre freight trains. While EU policy treats the length as essential for capacity, critics argue that longer trains worsen bottlenecks, slow speeds, and misalign with shipper needs. Opponents highlight...
For brands that locked in rates before the conflict, the immediate hit is cushioned, but those contracts expire, and the spot market is where the new baseline is set. https://t.co/I3U08aqByK
In this episode Kevin Lawton interviews Bill Woppler, CEO and founder of SurgeAir, about the evolution of data capture in supply chains. SurgeAir now processes about 15 billion transactions a month and has introduced Sophia, an agentic AI that makes sense...
Crayola has partnered with Indian stationery leader Luxor Writing Instruments to invest roughly Rs 400 crore over the next five years, establishing India as a key manufacturing and sourcing hub for its global art‑supply portfolio. The move follows a strategic shift to...
FS Italiane announced that the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) will be activated on the Rome–Florence high‑speed line in April 2026, completing the digital signalling upgrade for the corridor. To install the final Orvieto‑Settebagni block, night traffic will be...
Nebius, an AI‑focused cloud provider, has teamed up with Nvidia to launch a managed platform that spans the entire physical‑AI lifecycle—from large‑scale GPU training and physics‑accurate simulation to edge inference. The solution leverages Nvidia’s Physical AI Data Factory Blueprint, OSMO...
CMA CGM announced a new direct service linking Cork, Ireland with New York and Savannah, launching on April 28, 2026 aboard the MV CMA CGM WHITE. The route adds an extra vessel to the transatlantic fleet, promising higher frequency and tighter schedules. Positioned...
The escalating war in the Middle East has sharply curtailed liquefied natural gas shipments from Qatar, the world’s largest LNG exporter, creating a supply gap for Asian importers. In response, countries such as South Korea, Indonesia and Bangladesh are accelerating...
Dangote’s 650,000‑barrel‑per‑day refinery, now two years operational, is seeing soaring demand as the Ukraine war disrupts traditional fuel imports to Africa. Roughly 75% of its output is reserved for Nigeria, leaving limited capacity for export to neighboring economies. Countries across...
UK rail freight faces growing pressure from the Middle East war, which is driving higher energy prices and disrupting global shipping lanes. Rising diesel and electricity costs increase traction expenses, while container delays at ports such as Felixstowe strain intermodal...
Iranian attacks crippled 17% of Qatar's LNG export capacity, forcing QatarEnergy to declare force majeure on long‑term contracts for up to five years. South Korea, the world’s third‑largest LNG importer, downplays supply risks, noting its Qatari share is only about...
The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) posted February 2026 container volumes of 207,725 TEUs, a 19.4% year‑over‑year decline driven by last year’s cargo front‑loading ahead of tariffs. Full imports fell 29.5% while full exports rose 4.9%, and year‑to‑date volumes remain 16.6%...
Britain is confronting a looming fuel shortage as Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz removes roughly 20% of global oil flow. Brent crude has jumped over 50%, pushing UK petrol up 7% and diesel up 14%, while forecourts begin...
China’s Maple Leaf Shipping celebrated its 70th anniversary by purchasing a 206,300‑dwt Newcastlemax bulk carrier, the Cape Merlin, now renamed ES Bright Sea. The acquisition marks the company’s largest vessel to date and deepens its foothold in the Capesize segment,...
Lumafield unveiled three new industrial CT systems—Neptune Performance, Saturn and Mars—expanding its platform across metrology, large‑part inspection and inline production screening. Neptune Performance claims 15× faster scans with fourfold data quality, targeting high‑precision dimensional analysis. Saturn offers the largest door‑compatible...
French carrier CMA CGM announced a freight‑all‑kind (FAK) price hike for shipments from Europe to India and Pakistan, effective 1 April 2026. The new rates increase 20‑foot container charges by $150 on the North Europe‑India lane and $150 on the North Europe‑Pakistan lane,...
How Zipline Is Transforming Global Delivery with #Autonomous #Drones by @zipline #SupplyChain #Automation #Logistics https://t.co/9ugQN3qYXp
IFS reported a 23% year‑on‑year rise in annual recurring revenue and a 30% jump in cloud revenue for FY2025, underscoring rapid adoption of its Industrial AI platform. The technology has moved from pilot projects to core operational systems across manufacturing,...
Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen warned that Australia must secure bipartisan, decade‑long policy support to develop a domestic wind turbine parts supply chain. He emphasized that stable, year‑on‑year demand of two to three gigawatts is essential for manufacturers to commit to...
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that the nation has roughly 100 days of oil reserves remaining. The government has reduced oil exports to Laos and Myanmar by 25% and 20% respectively, citing the war in the Middle East. Officials...
How to Reopen Hormuz? March 19 Update 1⃣Ships and Crew in the Persian Gulf 2⃣Un-sanction Russian and Iranian Oil? 3⃣60-Day Waiver of the Jones Act Video: https://t.co/OAncFtYXq3 https://t.co/bT8EcElDOE
Aker Solutions has been awarded a front‑end engineering design (FEED) contract by KN Energies to develop a CO₂ transshipment terminal in Klaipėda, Lithuania. The terminal, part of the CCS Baltic Consortium, will handle about 2.8 million tonnes of CO₂ per year...
Australian Made has rolled out the “Made Right Here” campaign to showcase domestic manufacturing across the nation. Launched in January at Capral Aluminium’s Smithfield plant, the initiative features the green‑and‑gold kangaroo logo in animated scenes covering sectors from construction to...
Supply chain salaries are set to rise sharply in 2026 after years of underpayment, as firms scramble to secure logistics, procurement and analytics talent. Demand for these roles has grown 22 percent year‑over‑year since 2020, outpacing the modest expansion of the...
Latitude Construction has launched a new subsidiary, Latitude Naval Technologies, at the Port of Riga to develop offshore platforms for security and defence. Leveraging over 20 years of shipbuilding experience and advanced composite capabilities, the unit’s first product is the...
The Argus roundup highlights how the escalating US‑Iran conflict is reshaping energy markets. The International Energy Agency is boosting oil stock releases, while a temporary Jones Act waiver is prompting US crude cargoes to sail under foreign flags. WTI premiums...
UPS is navigating a disrupted logistics market under new CEO Carol Tomé, the first woman and outsider in its 118‑year history. The company is shifting from volume‑driven growth to a high‑margin, "better, not bigger" strategy, scaling back low‑margin e‑commerce shipments....
Opella Healthcare has launched a manufacturing electrification project at its North Brisbane plant, backed by a $1.94 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The initiative replaces gas‑fired dehumidification with heat‑pump technology, aiming to cut roughly 1,200 tonnes of CO₂ each...
Asian refiners are increasingly routing U.S. Gulf Coast crude through the Panama Canal as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran disrupts Middle‑East supplies. Medium‑sized Aframax and partially‑loaded Suezmax vessels have been booked for shipments to South Korea and Japan, the first...
APM Terminals has launched a five‑hour rail shuttle linking Helsingborg with the Port of Gothenburg, owned by APM and operated by Dania Connect. The service expands the port’s rail network to nearly 30 Swedish locations and follows a record‑breaking 529,000...
The United States has issued a 60‑day waiver of the Jones Act, temporarily eliminating the requirement to use U.S.-flagged vessels for domestic shipping. This regulatory shift coincides with a sharp rise in para‑xylene (PX) prices following the Iran‑Israel conflict, prompting...
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper about the escalating war in Iran and the broader Middle East. Beijing emphasized that the conflict undermines regional stability and directly impacts global energy, finance, trade, and shipping. China called...
The Australian Government is revising its Fuel Security Services Payment to keep the 1.8 cents‑per‑litre cap while changing the trigger that releases subsidies, aiming to better match current market conditions. The move supports the Viva refinery in Geelong and Ampol’s Brisbane...
A wave of international assistance is reaching Cuba, highlighted by a Russian oil tanker and humanitarian convoys from several nations. The fuel deliveries aim to alleviate chronic shortages that have crippled transportation and tourism. Commentators on social platforms expressed cautious...
Hazer Group has signed a non‑binding memorandum of understanding and graphite offtake letter of intent with Green Steel WA Collie Pty Ltd for up to 85,000 tonnes of graphite over ten years. The graphite will be used as a recarburiser...
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advancing its Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system, a four‑step digital platform designed to refund importers for Trump‑era tariffs that were recently nullified. The agency reports the project is between 45 % and...
Exxelia has published a technical white paper that pits the ESCC 3201 qualification framework against MIL‑STD‑981 for space‑grade magnetic components. Using its own chip inductors, low‑profile inductors and common‑mode chokes as reference, the guide maps where the two standards align, where...
The real problem is nitrogen-based fertilizers, which are, as a rule, derived from oil-based naphtha or natural gas. Currently, Qatar takes natural gas produced at its South Pars gas field, which was recently struck by Iran, to make ammonia and...
Looks like China had a deal with Iran as the Hong Kong-owned Panama-flagged bulker Jia Xiang Da sailed right down the Strait with AIS blasting on March 16. https://t.co/9NexOw93gc
Veritiv has broadened its strategic partnership with Packsize to accelerate automated, right‑sized corrugated packaging solutions. The collaboration blends Packsize’s on‑demand box‑making technology with Veritiv’s distribution network, promising faster turnaround for niche orders and reduced material waste. Customers will benefit from...
FedEx's U.S. Ground revenue per package was 5.5% compared to same quarter 2025. U.S. Ground ADV (commercial + home delivery) increased 4.0% for the same period. It looks like they may have taken volume from UPS. I'll need...
Cosco Shipping warned that the ongoing war in the Middle East will heighten volatility across global supply chains and speed up regionalization and nearshoring trends in 2026. The liner‑shipping and terminal operator highlighted weak macro‑economic momentum and a severe external...
I've had my head buried in work today and forgot to share that FedEx reports later today. I'll have a blog post on my thoughts either tomorrow or Saturday (heading back to SC tomorrow (😉) Here's a good article from Barron's...
"Jeff Bezos is in early talks to raise $100 billion for a new fund that would buy up manufacturing companies and seek to use AI technology to accelerate their path to automation." https://t.co/UmA1I3g0xp
Germany’s North Sea ports have completed the final integration step of their digital container import release process, requiring transport firms and truck drivers to connect to the German Ports IT platform. The Secure Release Order procedure now mandates a digital...
Apple Now Makes About 25% of iPhones in India After China Pivot. More on this in the Chartbook Top Links today. https://t.co/qnDkCJRBFG
The vessel OOCL SUNFLOWER encountered heavy weather en-route to Long Beach and suffered a container stack collapse. Flexport has begun notifying all customers with cargo on the ship to expect delays and inspect any containers that arrive for damaged goods....
Manufacturers are turning to supply‑chain localization to reduce disruption risk, focusing on standardized components, remanufacturing, top‑down sustainability, and AI‑driven scenario planning. Standardizing parts widens the supplier pool and shortens lead times, while AI‑enabled remanufacturing cuts raw‑material use and freight costs....
Virginia Port Authority completed a dredging project deepening Norfolk Harbor to 55 feet, making it the deepest East Coast port. The added five feet of depth and channel widening enable two‑way traffic and better accommodate ultra‑large container vessels (ULCVs). Final...
