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:
America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), IACMI’s workforce development program, has surpassed 20,000 online students and 5,000 in‑person boot‑camp participants since its 2020 launch. The initiative now delivers 11 CNC machining courses at 43 sites nationwide, drawing participants from colleges, high schools and industry. ACE’s growth aligns with IACMI’s “Make it in America” outreach and the METAL apprenticeship, both aimed at closing the U.S. manufacturing skills gap. The program’s network includes over 200 trainers and partners, reinforcing its role in revitalizing American industrial talent.
Ports of Indiana announced the launch of its first overseas trade office in Ireland, appointing maritime veteran Brian Dooley to lead the European Trade Office based in Cork and Kildare. The office aims to develop a direct Europe‑Indiana container service...
The traditional procurement playbook of aggregating spend to secure rebates is eroding as tariffs become a permanent, volatile cost factor. Companies now must treat tariffs as explicit line‑item expenses and redesign sourcing models to reflect ongoing trade policy shifts. Geographic...
Dole is shifting its supply chain from a pure execution function to a strategic growth engine, according to VP of Supply Chain Todd Stillwell. The company has created a dedicated supply‑chain general‑manager role embedded within business teams to influence product...
A new analyst report shows the West Coast’s share of U.S. and Western Canadian import TEUs has slipped from 59% in 2010 to below 49% in 2025, marking a ten‑point decline. The drop mirrors a broader erosion of intermodal rail’s...
Unilode Aviation Solutions and cargo‑equipment maker SATCO have launched a joint MRO facility at Los Angeles International Airport, providing on‑site ULD maintenance and repair. The partnership also includes a long‑term agreement for Unilode to source SATCO’s fire‑resistant cargo nets, bolstering...
Spain is evaluating a new rail terminal 11 km west of the Algeciras port to alleviate current capacity constraints, with an estimated €62 million price tag. The proposal includes five new sidings and a 3.65‑km link directly into the port, addressing the...
Insight Works announced a strategic partnership with 2Ship to embed the 2Ship carrier platform into its Dynamic Ship app for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The integration adds parcel, LTL and FTL shipping support, delivering carrier rates, label generation and...
German automation leader Körber has partnered with NVIDIA to embed AI‑driven simulation tools into warehouse operations. Using NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform, the two companies will create digital twins that let users model layouts, workflows, and new automation before physical changes. The...
Rail demand is muted but stable. On Talking Transports, I speak with @BNSFRailway CMO Tom Williams about service gains, rail vs truck dynamics, tariffs, the $UNP – $NSC merger — and Indiana football. 🎧 Listen - Episode 130 of Talking Transports: Apple:...
Volvo Construction Equipment announced it will close the Rokbak articulated hauler business, with production ending in the second half of 2026. The decision follows unsustainable profitability driven by rising operational costs, supply‑chain constraints and U.S. tariffs. Volvo will shift resources...
VIACHAIN, an ORBCOMM company, joined the Digital Container Shipping Association’s DCSA+ program to accelerate interoperable digital standards in container logistics. The partnership will help develop shared APIs and data‑exchange frameworks linking carriers, terminals, depots, and shippers. By focusing on ecosystem‑wide...
Saks Global announced the permanent closure of two Pennsylvania distribution centers, eliminating 590 positions. The Wilkes Barre facility will lay off 155 workers starting April 11, while the Pottsville site will cut 435 jobs beginning May 3. Both locations lack union...
I’ve found that most wars are filled with surprises, but the stakes of this conflict are obvious: it all comes down to who controls the Strait of Hormuz. We’ve seen this pattern before—with the Dutch in the 17th century and the...
Amid heightened Middle East conflict disrupting traditional maritime corridors, China and Russia convened the inaugural China‑Russia Logistics Business Forum in Moscow to explore deeper logistics cooperation. The dialogue emphasized expanding the Arctic Northern Sea Route, leveraging ports such as Arkhangelsk...
Demand for satellite constellations, lunar missions and private launches is surging, but the space supply chain lags behind, creating costly delays. The Aerospace Industries Association and PwC released a report outlining gaps and policy fixes, including a two‑way demand‑signaling system...
The California High‑Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract covering architectural and engineering (A&E) services. The IDIQ will be awarded to three distinct pools—minor works for small businesses,...
The International Society of Automation (ISA) has released ANSI/ISA-112.00.01-2025, SCADA systems—Part 1, a vendor‑neutral, technology‑independent framework that defines the SCADA lifecycle, diagrams, and terminology. The standard targets utilities, system integrators, and operators across water, oil & gas, power, transportation, and other...
Deutsche Bahn will reopen the Hamburg–Berlin corridor in two phases, starting with the Hamburg‑Hagenow segment on 15 May and the full 278‑km line on 14 June. The staged launch follows a winter‑induced delay but restores regular timetables for long‑distance, regional and freight...
Canada’s finance ministry has instructed the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) to launch a safeguard inquiry into imports of certain canned and frozen vegetables, covering tariff headings 7.10 and 20.05. The tribunal has 180 days, with a recommendation due by...
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) dispatched its 1000th petcoke rail rake, bound for JSW Cement’s Karnool plant. The shipment completed a second batch of 500 rakes, moving 40% faster than the first, highlighting MRPL’s operational improvements. Senior executives from...
ClassNK has certified Salam’s International as Pakistan’s first ship‑recycling facility compliant with the Hong Kong International Convention. Pakistan acceded to the convention in November 2023, and the certification enables the competent authority to issue the required Document of Authorization. The...
The European Commission has adopted new State aid rules that broaden and simplify subsidies for sustainable land transport, especially rail. The Land and Multimodal Transport (LMT) Guidelines and the Transport Block Exemption Regulation (TBER) take effect on 30 March 2026, allowing certain...
The U.S. is shifting trade enforcement toward economic security, targeting import‑tariff evasion with a new Trade Fraud Task Force and expanded DOJ whistleblower incentives. In 2025 CBP collected a record $200 billion in tariffs, prompting $2 million funding for the task force...
Supply chain diversification has shifted from an optional efficiency tweak to a core resilience strategy. The guide outlines how reliance on a single supplier exposes firms to operational disruption, price volatility, quality stagnation, and geopolitical exposure, as highlighted by recent...
Footwear manufacturers in India are confronting steep cost pressures as polymer‑based sole producers in Kerala scale down operations. Approximately 20‑25% of the state’s plastic processing units have halted due to capital shortages, while polymer prices have jumped nearly 59% since...
Egyptian fertilizer producer NCIC announced the award of its latest tender, selling the full 25,000 t of single superphosphate (SSP) at $335 per tonne FOB and 1,200 t of sulphate of potash (SOP) at $620‑630 per tonne FOB. The SSP, containing 20.8%...
Airports are increasingly constrained by fragmented decision‑making rather than runway or gate capacity. SITA’s Total Airport Management platform connects data, teams, and partners in real time, applying predictive analytics to optimise operations and pre‑empt disruptions. Early adopters such as Abu...
FTR, a freight‑forecasting firm, warns its Shippers Conditions Index could slide to the lowest level in four years as diesel prices surge and capacity tightens. The index, which blends demand, rates, fleet capacity and fuel costs, is projected to dip...
EFM Global executed end‑to‑end freight and production logistics for the BLAST Premier Open Rotterdam, marking the first rollout of its multi‑year partnership with esports promoter BLAST. The operation coordinated seven freight movements across Denmark, Malta and other locations, delivering staging,...
Freight traffic between Oslo and Bergen now runs on rail for 60% of trips, outpacing road transport. Twelve freight trains operate daily on the Bergen Line, and volumes in the first two months of 2025 are 20% higher than a...
Automotive manufacturers are navigating a rapid shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles, with global EV sales projected to rise from 14.7 million in 2025 to 17.4 million in 2026. In the United States, California accounts for roughly 35% of EV registrations,...
CMA CGM is revamping its PEARL (PRX) service to create a direct, weekly link between the West Indian Subcontinent and Los Angeles. The new rotation eliminates transshipment stops, offering fixed‑day departures and sharper transit windows—37 days from Colombo, 42 from...
Bimbo Bakeries has built a customer‑experience (CX) engine around its 12,000 daily delivery routes, using data‑driven insights to synchronize logistics, product freshness and shopper expectations. The company deployed AI‑powered routing, real‑time tracking and a unified feedback platform that feeds directly...
U.S. lawmakers warned that China dominates the supply chain for essential hospital and outpatient medicines, especially generic drugs that fill 90% of prescriptions. Witnesses at a Senate Aging Committee hearing highlighted that China controls roughly 90% of key starting materials...
Doncaster Sheffield Airport has reached a key milestone in its reopening plan as the UK Civil Aviation Authority published the initial findings of its Airspace Change Proposal, moving the process to public consultation. The airport’s preferred “Option 3” reduces the volume...
At the CMA Shipping Conference 2026, Panama Canal Administrator Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales detailed the Vision 2035 plan, which includes capacity‑boosting projects, a new container terminal, and the Río Indio Lake water‑reservoir to improve reliability. He highlighted a 8‑10% revenue increase in...
Amazon announced nationwide one‑hour and three‑hour delivery options, initially covering more than 90,000 SKUs. Prime members pay $9.99 for a one‑hour slot and $4.99 for three‑hour delivery, while non‑Prime customers face $19.99 and $14.99 respectively. The service launches in hundreds...
Boots has signed a long‑term logistics agreement with XPO Logistics to manage primary transport for its UK and Ireland operations. XPO will move products from Boots’ Beeston and Burton‑on‑Trent service centres to cross‑dock hubs, using dedicated fleets of 35 trunking...
THG Fulfil has launched a native, zero‑code app on the Shopify App Store, enabling fast‑scaling and medium‑enterprise brands to connect directly to its global logistics network. The integration offers end‑to‑end fulfillment, inventory management, and courier coordination across 195 countries without...
I think the most dangerous thing that I see in markets currently is this assumption that, as soon as the war ends, commodity production will just switch back on again. It won’t. It can’t. Commodity production is not like a manufacturing...
PHOTO(S) OF THE DAY: China is still getting (some of) its oil — and Iran its getting (some of) its money. Three weeks into the war, Iran continues loading oil supertankers from Kharg Island. (No damage visible at this resolution) Photo @CopernicusEU...
Brittany Ferries has restored its rail‑highway service between Cherbourg and Bayonne/Mouguerre after a January derailment halted operations. The line resumed with a convoy of 12 wagons and will scale to 18 wagons, moving 36 road trailers per round‑trip. Repairs to...
The best way to get an early heads up on AI server supply is to watch Taiwan companies. What’s even better is that they all report revenue monthly. This week I’ll be emailing out a masterclass on Tracking the Global...
Focus on ecommerce? When speed is important for an order, good luck competing with Amazon -> Amazon begins 3-hour deliveries in ~2K US cities and towns and 1-hour deliveries in hundreds of those areas, after 2025 pilots; 90K+ products...
Levelpath hosted its first LevelUp 2026 conference in San Francisco, unveiling an AI‑native procurement platform built from the ground up. The company, now 160 employees strong, has raised $100 million to deliver a unified system of record that spans intake, sourcing,...
China's fuel export ban last week is already rippling through the region. Bangladesh, which relies on Chinese diesel and jet fuel, has come out and asked Beijing to honour its contracts. Australia imported a third of its jet fuel from China...
Pakistan’s LNG supply at risk of running out in less than a month 🇵🇰 🚢 Officials warn that there may not be enough gas to meet power needs after April 14 Pakistan imports 99% of its LNG from Qatar. But supplies...
Amazon rolls out 1-hour, 3-hour delivery as ultrafast shipping trend grows in the U.S. https://t.co/EFa2clCW92
"VinFast to Resume US EV Plant Construction as Loss Widens" https://t.co/iDt2io8Uw2 "The US factory’s scale is likely to be much smaller than first envisaged." 🤔🤔 https://t.co/mHd22RogbL
