Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Strait of Hormuz closure stalls oil price surge despite 100‑day shutdown
The strategic waterway has been shut for 100 days, yet oil prices have not spiked. Prices fell after a U.S.–Iran deal was announced, and analysts warn that any relief to the oil market could take months to materialize.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Jump Over $300 per Ton as Iran Conflict Disrupts Supply
U.S. nitrogen fertilizer prices have surged since the Iran‑U.S.-Israel war began on Feb. 28, 2026, with anhydrous ammonia climbing from $828 to $1,123 per ton and 28% nitrogen solution rising 25% to $543 per ton. The spike adds more than $20 per acre to Midwest farm budgets and foreshadows higher input costs for the 2027 crop.
Culpan: Apple Goes All in on MacBook Neo Production ↦
Apple is ramping up MacBook Neo output to 10 million units, double its original forecast, after the laptop’s sales outpaced expectations and strained A18 Pro chip supplies. The company has asked TSMC for a hot‑lot of the N3E‑based chips used in...
Eli Lilly Adds $4.5 B to Indiana Plant Portfolio, Launches First Genetic Medicine Facility
Eli Lilly announced a $4.5 billion expansion across two Lebanon, Indiana sites and opened Lilly Lebanon Advanced Therapies, its first dedicated genetic‑medicine manufacturing plant. The move lifts the company’s cumulative Indiana capital commitments since 2020 to more than $21 billion, underscoring a...
Iran Can Outlast Trump's Hormuz Blockade for Months
U.S. intelligence estimates Iran could withstand a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for 90‑120 days, challenging the view that a swift closure would force Tehran to negotiate. Despite sustained U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran’s missile and drone...
CNBC: Markets Whirlpool Says Iran War Causing ‘Recession-Level Industry Decline’
Whirlpool told CNBC that the ongoing Iran‑Israel war is driving an industry‑wide decline comparable to a recession. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have spiked oil and freight costs, while uncertainty is dampening consumer demand for large appliances. The company...
Tightened Supply Chains: Strait of Hormuz & Bitumen Markets
In this episode of The Asphalt Story, Irina, Kayvan, and Oliver discuss how the Strait of Hormuz disruption is tightening bitumen supplies for European and African markets. They explain that reduced crude flows from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are...
Ford Cuts Part Production From 130 to 3 Days
This is what reindustrialization is all about. After 123 years, @Ford is continuing to use our industrial know-how to help support American manufacturing. At @MichiganCentral, we’re seeing startups grow and great ideas scale. Here’s a look at how Ford teamed...
Opinion: The Case for the UP-NS Merger Runs Through America's Heartland
Economists argue that the proposed $85 billion Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger would create the first single‑line transcontinental freight railroad in the United States, linking the West and East coasts. By eliminating the current hand‑off at interchange points such as Chicago, the...
HD Hyundai Robotics Secures Order for Robotic Welding Solutions, Enters US Shipbuilding Automation Market
HD Hyundai Robotics secured a contract with Chouest Group to supply its ArcLift GO robotic welding system to three shipyards in the United States and one in Brazil. The deal marks the company’s first automation project in the U.S. shipbuilding sector,...
Stadler Trains Ordered to Make the Dublin – Belfast Enterprise ‘a True Flagship Service’
The €698 million ($760 million) contract signed on May 7 will see Stadler deliver eight dual‑mode Flirt trainsets for the Dublin‑Belfast Enterprise service, funded by the Northern Ireland and Irish transport departments plus €165 million ($180 million) from the EU PeacePLUS programme. Delivery is slated...
How Pakistan Became the Primary Mediator Between the US and Iran
Pakistan has emerged as the primary mediator between the United States and Iran after President Trump paused a Hormuz operation at Pakistan’s request. Islamabad leverages decades‑long diplomatic channels with both Washington and Tehran, reinforced by recent successes such as a...
LMOA at 87
The Locomotive Maintenance Officers Association (LMOA), celebrating 87 years, remains a pivotal nonprofit forum for North American rail operators, suppliers, and OEMs to exchange technical maintenance insights. In 2026, its educational partnership with the Railway Interchange conference features committees addressing...
Hijacked Tanker Off Yemen Deepens Fears of Somali Piracy Resurgence
European naval forces confirmed that the oil tanker EUREKA was hijacked off Yemen’s Qana Port on May 2 and is now being steered toward Somali waters. The EU’s Operation ATALANTA verified the takeover and tracked the vessel near 09°50’N 050°54’E. The incident underscores...
What Gulf States Need in a US-Iran Deal
Direct US‑Iran talks in Islamabad collapsed after 21 hours, leaving no deal and prompting a US naval blockade. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was not consulted, even though Iranian missiles and drones struck airports and energy sites across six Gulf...
Azora’s MilePro Sells Madrid and Barcelona Logistics Assets for €43m
Azora’s MilePro subsidiary has completed the sale of two logistics properties located in Madrid and Barcelona for €43 million (approximately $47 million). The transaction underscores the robust appetite among institutional investors for high‑quality, prime‑location logistics assets in Spain’s major metros. The deal...
How Iran Is Bypassing the Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Iran is circumventing the U.S.-led Strait of Hormuz blockade by routing food, consumer goods, and oil through land corridors and the Caspian Sea, and by planning rail shipments to China. Trucking from Pakistan, Turkey, and Armenia now supplies essential imports,...
Powering the EV Revolution
Power electronics, the backbone of electric vehicles, are undergoing rapid evolution as demand surges. A recent IDTechEx report forecasts a 10% annual growth, pushing the market to $65 billion by 2036. Automakers are turning to wide‑bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide...
Nickel Market Ignoring Sherritt Exit, Chinese Consolidation Looms
The market is not pricing in the nickel news of Sherritt leaving Cuba. S has material until June. Can the Cuban's manage the mine? What about the tailings issues? If Canada no longer can process material...
Three Midwest Manufacturers Form Dielectric Manufacturing Group, Targeting EV Busbar and Components Market
Three established Midwest manufacturers—Dielectric Manufacturing, EMS Industrial and Centerline Machine—have merged to create Dielectric Manufacturing Group, a single‑source provider of precision plastic and metal parts, machining, fabrication, and custom busbar solutions for electric‑vehicle OEMs. The combined entity leverages over 60...
FedEx’s MD-11 Comeback to Start with Short Cargo Flight to Miami
FedEx announced a global repair campaign to return its 29 MD‑11 freighters to service after a six‑month grounding triggered by the UPS Flight 2976 crash. Technicians will remove wing‑mounted engine pylons at 16 locations and ship them to Indianapolis and...
Versa Materials and AUMUND Partner on Domestic Battery Cathode Manufacturing Equipment, Targeting 50% CapEx Reduction
Versa Materials Technology of Austin and Germany’s AUMUND Corp have signed an exclusive MOU to adapt AUMUND’s conveying and thermal‑processing equipment for battery‑cathode calcination. The partnership will replace the traditional multi‑step co‑precipitation and saggar‑based calcination with a single‑step spray‑pyrolysis process,...
Hint Reveals Why Hormuz Reopening Stalls, Questions Unasked
“I’m not trying to solve a puzzle here, Dr. Kimble…” “Well, I am trying to solve a puzzle…& I just found a big piece.” This story offers a hint about what’s taking so long to re-open Hormuz, but no one seems to...
Mizuho’s Vikram Malhotra Sees Logistics Real Estate in Early Stages of New Upcycle
Vikram Malhotra, managing director of real estate equities at Mizuho, says the industrial and logistics REIT sector is in the early stages of a new upcycle. Large warehouses over 500,000 square feet are thriving as retailers like Walmart and Amazon...
LNG Sector Seeing Near-Term ‘Supply Disruption’ Not ‘Demand Destruction’, Excelerate Says
Excelerate Energy, a U.S. floating regasification specialist, says the Middle East conflict is creating a short‑term supply disruption rather than eroding LNG demand. CEO Steven Kobos noted that new LNG projects coming online will expand the need for import and...
Aurora’s Chris Urmson on Why Self-Driving Trucks Are Finally Ready to Scale
Aurora launched its first commercial driverless trucks in April 2025 and is now expanding the fleet to hundreds of units in 2026. CEO Chris Urmson told TechCrunch’s Equity podcast that long‑haul trucking provides the first viable economics for full autonomy,...
Growth in Energy-Linked Project Cargo Exacerbates US Rail Car Shortage
North American rail freight capacity is tightening as the fleet shrank by 24,149 cars—a 1% drop to 1.66 million units between 2019 and 2025. Simultaneously, demand for energy‑linked project cargo such as transformers and turbines has surged, stretching the limited rail...
194 CN Shippers Earn Safety Awards
Canadian National Railway (CN) announced that 194 customers earned its 2025 Safe Handling Awards for exemplary loading and transport of regulated hazardous goods. The award, established in 1992, is tied to the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care program, underscoring rigorous...
ACSL and Draganfly Strike Exclusive Distribution Deal to Bring SOTEN Platform to Canada
Japanese drone maker ACSL has signed an exclusive master distributor agreement with Vancouver‑based Draganfly Inc., bringing the SOTEN multi‑mission quadcopter to Canada. The SOTEN platform features a swappable payload architecture with four camera options, including a 20 MP sensor and a...
US Bans Chinese Rare Earths in Defense by 2027
Critical One Energy @Critical1Energy $CRTL.CA $MMTLF "On January 1, 2027, new U.S. defense procurement rules under DFARS and 10 U.S.C. §4872 take effect. After that date, Chinese-origin rare earth materials cannot be used in American defense systems. Every major defense...
Energy Crunch Will Continue Despite Iran Peace Deal, Says Maersk
Maersk Says Energy Crunch to Persist Even If Iran Peace Deal Struck. Not surprising. This extended mess will not fix itself overnite. https://t.co/qJBag33bE9
DB InfraGO Reports Stabilisation of German Rail Network in 2025
DB InfraGO’s 2025 condition report shows the German rail network’s overall rating holding steady at 3.00, halting a long‑term decline. Station conditions improved to a 2.96 rating after modernising 124 stations, while the share of assets needing renewal fell to...
Key AI-Driven Trends From Magaya Momentum 2026
Takeaways from Magaya's Momentum 2026 Conference - https://t.co/UV5WW1I5f2 @MagayaSoftware #freightforwarders #freightforwarding #customsbrokers #supplychain #logistics #AI
EU E‑commerce De‑minimis Reform Unlikely by July 1
I sincerely doubt the EU removal of de minimis (e-commerce reform) will go ahead on 1 July. At least not in full. Or not in a harmonised way. There simply isn't enough time.
Two Ports Reshape Emirati Maritime Geopolitics
Khor Fakkan and Fujairah, two deep‑water ports on the UAE’s east coast, were built as bypass routes to ease Gulf congestion. Positioned outside the Strait of Hormuz, they give ships a direct path to the Indian Ocean without transiting the...
Shipping Demands Mutual Security Guarantees Before Hormuz Return
Shipping needs security guarantees from both sides and clarity on mines before returning to Hormuz. Just saying
India’s Heavy Sour Crude Imports at 50% of Capacity
🇮🇳Key context: India’s current heavy sour crude imports are running at roughly half of its processing capacity.
Hormuz Risk Is Redrawing the Supply Chain Geography of Energy
Geopolitical tension in the Strait of Hormuz is prompting a strategic shift in global energy supply chains. Japan has opened talks with the UAE to increase crude imports and create joint stockpiles, while the UAE’s Fujairah port offers an alternative...
API Weekly Report Shows Draws in Crude, Distillate, Gasoline
The American Petroleum Institute Weekly Statistical Bulletin is out showing draws against crude stocks, distillate and gasoline stocks. https://t.co/fp4XONEkmr
USA Considers Tapping Oil Under Military Bases to Refill SPR
The Trump administration is evaluating the possibility of drilling for oil beneath U.S. military bases and other Department of War sites to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is projected to hit its lowest level since 1982. The...
Amazon Launches First Drone Deliveries in the UK
Amazon has launched its first UK drone‑delivery trial, branding the service Prime Air. The pilot operates from a distribution hub in Darlington, near Durham, and promises deliveries within two hours. Using the MK30 drone, Amazon can transport packages up to 2.2 kg...
Ryan Builds Real Vessels While Others Make Dinghies
While the majority of VC funded “shipbuilders” are busy manufacturing dinghies, BWA’s @rylanhamilton is building properly sized vessels. Be like Ryan.
Marinakis Gas Carrier Firm CCEC Speeds up Newbuild Deliveries in Market Boom
Capital Clean Energy Carriers (CCEC), owned by Evangelos Marinakis, announced it will accelerate the delivery of three of its nine LNG carriers. The firm arranged with Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries to receive the vessels ahead of schedule. This move aims...
Samsung Exits Chinese TV, Appliance Market, Keeps Phones, Chips
Samsung Pulling TVs, Home Appliances From China The company will continue to sell smartphones and computer chips in China https://t.co/tcezc9xfqZ
USTR Launches Section 301 Hearings on Global Manufacturing Overcapacity
The U.S. Trade Representative launched Section 301 hearings to examine structural excess capacity across 16 foreign economies, including China, the EU and several Asian nations. The investigations will assess whether overproduction and subsidies constitute unreasonable or discriminatory practices that harm...
Startup Profile: Hazel - The AI Procurement Platform for Government Agencies
Hazel offers an AI‑native, end‑to‑end procurement platform designed exclusively for government agencies. The solution lets public‑sector teams define requirements, auto‑generate solicitations, conduct market research, and evaluate vendor responses within a single interface. Backed by Y Combinator, Hazel positions itself as...
QCraft Unveils Physical AI Model, Expands Autonomy to Robotics and Logistics
QCraft announced its Physical AI Model and the QPilot MAX 500+ TOPS platform, extending its autonomous‑driving stack into robotics and logistics. The system is already deployed in 25 Chinese vehicle models, with 50 more expected this year, and promises a false‑activation...
USA Rare Earth’s Dr. Alex Moyes on Serra Verde and the Race for Heavy Rare Earth Control
USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) is prioritizing heavy rare earths, the most scarce segment of the market, by securing upstream assets and building processing capacity. The company’s newly acquired Serra Verde mine in Brazil is the only non‑Asian operation currently...
Exiger Leads 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Supplier Risk Management
Exiger secured the top spot in Gartner's 2026 Magic Quadrant for Supplier Risk Management, achieving the highest execution rating and the furthest vision score. The AI‑native platform’s autonomous capabilities are reshaping how enterprises monitor and mitigate supply‑chain risk.
About 70 Jobs at Risk as RNLI Confirms Closure of Manufacturing Site
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) will close its Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) in Cowes, Isle of Wight, and move in‑shore lifeboat production to the All‑Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole, Dorset, by the end of 2027. The decision follows a...
SEG Solar to Open Second Solar Panel Factory in Texas
SEG Solar is investing $200 million to build a 4‑GW solar module assembly plant in Houston, joining its existing 2‑GW facility and raising U.S. capacity to 6 GW. The 500,000‑square‑foot factory will start production in Q3 2026 and create about 800 jobs. The...