Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Shipowners demand safety guarantees before resuming Hormuz transits
A tentative U.S.–Iran agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz with a 60‑day window of free transits before Iran begins charging for navigation services. Shipowners and major Japanese lines remain wary, citing missing safety details and the need for coordination with governments and insurers, while BIMCO stresses that credible assurances are required.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Navigating the Many Issues Surrounding China’s Ports Abroad
China’s overseas‑port strategy has expanded to more than two dozen nations, where Chinese firms act as builders, financiers, operators and investors. Host governments tout expected gains in cargo capacity, surrounding economic zones, jobs and foreign‑exchange earnings, while critics highlight debt traps, dependence on Chinese standards, and potential strategic leverage over global shipping. Recent tensions, such as China’s detention of Panama‑flagged vessels and U.S. support for Peru’s Chancay port, underscore the geopolitical stakes. The series examines both the economic upside and the security, environmental and political concerns tied to the port network.
Smart Planning Overcomes Growing Complexity in Supply Chains
Planning is getting more complex, but smarter planning drives results. Lisa Anderson shares 3 key planning challenges + 3 ways to address them. Watch the Supply Chain Byte. #SupplyChain #Planning #Manufacturing https://t.co/Owl5yN9vva
Geekplus Partners with Mindugar to Accelerate Warehouse Automation Adoption Across Latin America
Geekplus, a global mobile‑robotics leader, has teamed up with Latin America’s storage specialist Mindugar to roll out Shelf‑to‑Person and Tote‑to‑Person automation systems across the region. The partnership blends Geekplus’s P800, PopPick and RoboShuttle Plus platforms with Mindugar’s extensive racking infrastructure, offering...
Fed Data Shows Global Supply Chain Pressure Hits 4-Year High
The New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) jumped to 1.82 in April, its highest reading since July 2022. The surge follows the Iran‑Israel conflict, which has disrupted freight routes and pushed fuel prices higher. Fed President John...
Iran’s Oil Sector and Economy Are Under Pressure as U.S. Blockade Bites
The United States’ naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, imposed on April 13, has halted all Iranian oil tankers, straining the country’s export pipeline and filling on‑shore and offshore storage to near capacity. Iran, which produces roughly four million barrels...
SpaceX May Spend up to $119B on ‘Terafab’ Chip Factory in Texas
SpaceX is weighing a $55 billion initial outlay, potentially rising to $119 billion, to build a vertically integrated semiconductor plant dubbed "Terafab" in Grimes County, Texas. The proposal, filed on the county website, envisions a multi‑phase fab that could eventually generate one...
Trump Claims Deal with Iran to Reopen Hormuz: Update
President Donald Trump announced a tentative peace deal with Iran that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. "Epic Fury" operation. Iran's foreign ministry said it is still reviewing the U.S. proposal, labeling some clauses unacceptable. Crude...
Norway’s Leopard 2A8 Tanks Highlight European Network
Norway will acquire 54 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks, with the first two arriving in April 2026. Seventeen units are built by KNDS in Germany while the remaining 37 will be produced at a new Levanger facility starting autumn 2026. The...
USTR to Review China Tariffs as Section 301 Takes Center Stage
The U.S. Trade Representative has launched a four‑year review of the 2018 Section 301 tariffs imposed on Chinese imports. The review covers two 25% levies that affect roughly $32 billion of goods across more than 500 tariff subheadings. Domestic industries must submit...
Army's $50B MAPS Vehicle Hit with Second Protest
The U.S. Army’s $50 billion Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) vehicle has encountered a second protest, this time from Intelligence Consulting Enterprise Solutions, joining an earlier challenge by MetroStar Systems. Protesters argue the solicitation lacks transparency, citing frequent...
58% Execs Predict More Localized Supply Chains by 2030
Survey of 1,800 global executives from Prologis and The Harris Poll finds a majority, 58%, forecast more localized supply chains by 2030, with only 31% expecting continued globalization. (My write-up in @forbes) https://t.co/4afHA5ytaD
DRAM Drought to Dog AMD's Chips This Year
AMD warned that PC CPU shipments will dip in the second half of 2026 as a DRAM shortage drives memory prices up four‑fold. The chipmaker still expects its Client segment to post year‑over‑year revenue growth, buoyed by Ryzen adoption and...
Pirelli to Begin Cyber Tyre Manufacturing in Georgia, US
Pirelli will begin manufacturing its Cyber Tyre technology at its Rome, Georgia plant, marking the first U.S. production of the sensor‑enabled tyre. The rollout coincides with Italy’s golden‑power intervention that curtails Chinese investor Sinochem’s board influence. The Georgia facility will...
Amazon Opens Freight, Warehousing, Delivery Network to Third‑Party Businesses, Threatening 3PLs
Amazon announced its Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS) platform is now open to any business, offering freight, warehousing and parcel delivery using its massive logistics fleet. Early adopters include Procter & Gamble, 3M, Lands’ End and American Eagle, and the...
Unusual Machines, 6K Energy, CRG Defense, SES AI Take Steps to Be NDAA Compliant
The U.S. Department of Defense is accelerating domestic drone production with a $53.6 billion budget and tighter NDAA restrictions on foreign components. Companies such as SES AI, 6K Energy, CRG Defense, and Unusual Machines are taking compliance steps, from converting a...
Taiwan’s Manufacturing PMI Hits 60.3% as AI‑Driven Chip Demand Tightens Supply
Taiwan’s manufacturing purchasing managers index climbed to 60.3% in April 2026, marking a seventh straight month of expansion and the strongest reading since September 2021. The surge reflects soaring AI‑driven semiconductor demand that is tightening supply across the island’s factories....
Brazil Poised for $21.3 Bn Critical‑Mineral Investment by 2030
Brazil will draw $21.3 bn in critical‑mineral investments through 2030, a 15.2% rise over the previous forecast. The surge centers on rare‑earth, lithium and other battery metals, positioning the country as a key alternative to China’s dominance.
NY Fed Index Hits Covid-Level Supply Chain Disruptions
🇺🇸 The NY Fed Global Supply Chain Pressure Index jumped in April to Covid-like disruption levels. https://t.co/ywfPzNS5oq https://t.co/23NKq4esGS
US‑Iran Language Clash Masks Real Strait of Hormuz Status
Setting aside the nuclear situation, there's an issue with the 1st point right off the bat - language. The US says "Iran lift its chokehold over the SoH" and Iran says "SoH is open...follow these protocols (incl. payment)." Both sides agree on...
Delfin LNG Gains More Momentum With Another SPA on Path Toward FID
Gunvor Group announced a new sale‑and‑purchase agreement to buy additional LNG from the Delfin floating‑liquefaction project off Louisiana. The deal follows a similar SPA signed in 2023 and adds to Delfin’s existing contracts covering more than 4 million tonnes per year....
Volvo and Aurora Deploy 200‑Mile Autonomous Freight Route Between Dallas and Oklahoma City
Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Aurora Innovation have begun operating a 200‑mile autonomous freight corridor between Dallas and Oklahoma City. The Volvo VNL Autonomous, equipped with Aurora’s Driver, runs five days a week in supervised mode, marking the first multi‑state customer‑endpoint...
Kapten & Son Strengthens UK Presence with Major Logistics Investment.
Kapten & Son has launched its first UK‑based fulfilment centre, partnering with logistics firm Quivo to cut delivery times from seven days to one‑to‑three business days. The move follows a 2025 Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping solution that eliminated customs...
GlobalFoundries Reports Double‑digit Q1 Growth and Oversubscribed SiGe Capacity Through 2027
GlobalFoundries announced double‑digit percentage growth in automotive, communications infrastructure and data‑center markets for Q1 2026, and warned that its silicon‑germanium (SiGe) capacity at the Vermont fab is already oversubscribed through 2027. The company also previewed its Investor Day on May...
Q&A: How the Strait of Hormuz Closure Affects Global Oil Supply
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted the transit of roughly 20% of the world’s oil, sending shockwaves through global commodity markets. Tim Statts of Schneider Electric explains that despite the U.S. being the top oil producer, it...
Corning Boosts US Optical Capacity Tenfold for AI Demand
"Corning will increase its U.S.-based optical connectivity manufacturing capacity by 10x and expand its U.S. fiber production capacity by more than 50% to meet the accelerating demand driven by AI factory buildouts." https://t.co/VX9jOQr1Bg
Supply Chain Masters Reveal Upside in Constraint Map
I'm working on a report on the constraint map (I know it's an overused term) but still apt. But in this environment, the easiest way to see the upside is by those who are masters of the supply chain. https://t.co/9ZCdGgQZVs
Heavy-Chain BsAbs More Manufacturable than Light-Chains
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have grown to 19 FDA approvals and roughly 250 candidates in development, but scaling their production remains a bottleneck. A recent study by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México researchers compared six BsAb architectures and linked design to...
Regulators Should Rely on Peers’ GMP Audits to Cut Inspection Burden
Biopharma manufacturing sites face an average of 2.68 GMP inspections per year, each lasting up to nine days, and preparation can take six months to a year. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) argues that regulators should...
Canmakers Say Capacity Is Tight as They Gear up for Big Summer
Cankmakers Ball, Crown Holdings and Ardagh Metal Packaging reported strong Q1 revenue growth but warned that capacity will be tight as summer promotions ramp up. Ball posted $3.6 B sales, up 16.3% YoY, and is investing $35 M in a new Oregon...
China Sweeps up $1.7B of Robot Exports
China reported robot exports worth CNY 11.3 billion (about $1.7 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, shipping to 148 countries and regions. Cleaning robots dominated the mix with CNY 7.6 billion ($1.1 billion) in sales, while industrial variants contributed CNY 3.2 billion ($450 million). The government highlighted a...
Greenlane Expands Electric Truck Charging Network Into Texas Freight Corridor
Greenlane announced the rollout of two high‑power electric‑truck charging stations in Dallas and Houston along I‑45, extending its public network beyond California. Each site will feature six to eight pull‑through lanes and support both CCS and the emerging Megawatt Charging...
U.S. Inverter Market Faces Policy, Supply Headwinds Despite Safe Harbor Pipeline
Intertek CEA projects U.S. inverter demand to grow 6% annually through 2028, but developers confront tighter regulations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules and new cybersecurity mandates. Tariffs on imported inverters can reach...
Iran War Spikes Supply‑chain Pressure; Tariffs Stay Flat
Tariffs did not register any meaningful move last year in the New York Fed's index that measures global supply chain pressures. The Iran war, on the other hand, moved the line up notably in April https://t.co/kDmPxpgitg https://t.co/92UmxGrKV4
Indian Westbound Rates Under Pressure Amid Demand Uncertainty, Overcapacity
Ocean freight rates from India to the United States and Europe have softened sharply in early May, as carriers grapple with lingering demand uncertainty and excess capacity. Spot bookings from West India to the U.S. East Coast fell $400‑$500 per...
POULTRY DEMAND SURGE DRIVES NEW PROCESSING AND PACKAGING STRATEGIES
U.S. poultry demand is accelerating as beef prices surge, pushing total meat sales to a record $112 billion in 2025. Retailers respond with case‑ready and private‑label formats, now preferred by 87% of shoppers, while processors seek automation to maintain quality and...
Nvidia, Manufacturer To Build 3 U.S. Plants To Support Data Centers
Nvidia has teamed with Corning to construct three new manufacturing plants in North Carolina and Texas, aimed at scaling U.S. production of optical connectivity and fiber for data centers. The facilities will boost Corning's domestic capacity tenfold for connectivity equipment...
Shipping Firms Doubt Trump's Project Freedom; Iran Controls Hormuz
The New York Times reports that shipping companies have ZERO confidence in Pres. Trump's Project Freedom. Contrary to Pres. Trump's statements, CONTROL of the STRAIT OF HORMUZ is in IRAN'S HANDS and will probably remain so. IRAN REMAINS LOCKED AND LOADED. https://t.co/HOyQSr31S1
Quicktron Brings Modular Warehouse Automation to U.S. Market
Quicktron Robotics showcased its modular QuickMix solution at MODEX, bringing the QuickBin Ultra tote system and QuickCube pallet technology to the U.S. market. The unified platform lets customers combine tote‑to‑person and full‑load pallet operations on a single software stack, using...
Gas Prices Are Spiking. So Why Aren’t U.S. Oil Companies Drilling More?
U.S. gasoline prices have surged to around $4.50 a gallon as the Iran‑U.S. standoff blocks the Strait of Hormuz, trapping roughly 20 million barrels per day of oil. The World Bank projects a 24% jump in global energy prices in 2026,...
Why a New UN Security Council Resolution on Hormuz Is Probably Doomed
The United States is drafting a new UN Security Council resolution demanding Iran stop tolls, disclose mines, cease attacks on ships, and restore the pre‑war status of the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows Tehran’s recent restrictions that threaten a...
Belgium Urges EU to Save Industry by Getting Tough on China
Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prévot called on the European Union to protect strategic sectors—including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, metals, automotive and critical minerals—from a surge of Chinese imports. He warned that the EU’s €360 billion (about $390 billion) trade deficit with China is eroding...
‘Your Craft Is Obsolete’: WiseTech Staff in Limbo as AI Touted as Better than Humans
WiseTech, the Australian logistics‑software firm listed on the ASX, announced a plan to cut roughly 30% of its global workforce – about 2,000 of its 7,000 employees – over the next 18 months as it pivots to an AI‑led model....
US to Lift Eritrea Sanctions as Red Sea Tensions Reshape Alliances
The United States plans to lift the 2021 sanctions on Eritrea around May 4, according to a State Department note. The decision reflects Washington’s reassessment of Eritrea’s strategic value along the Red Sea shipping corridor amid heightened tensions after the Strait...
Qatar Cargo Introduces Smart Temperature Solution for Pharma
Qatar Airways Cargo has launched Pharma Passive FlexTemp, a smart temperature solution that allows dual‑temperature control within a single air shipment. The service bridges the gap when passive packaging reaches the end of its effective life, ensuring product integrity throughout the...
Stadler Delivers First Flirts From Record Order for Poland’s Capital Region
Stadler has delivered the first nine of a 75‑unit Flirt electric multiple‑unit order to Warsaw‑area operator Koleje Mazowieckie, with service slated to begin this month on routes to Dęblin and Skierniewice. The five‑car trains, built at Stadler Polska’s Siedlce plant, seat 582...
Lilly Inflates US Facility Investment Spending by $4.5bn
Eli Lilly has increased its U.S. capital‑investment program by $4.5 billion, bringing total spending in Indiana to $21 billion since 2020. The new funding supports the Lebanon Advanced Therapies plant, the company’s first dedicated genetic‑medicine manufacturing site, and future API and Foundry facilities....
Most Truck Fatalities Involve People Outside the Cab
Don't think truck crashes and safety impacts you? 82% of large truck fatalities were people outside the truck https://t.co/Uewa7ML4Xc
Georgia-Pacific Updates Its Barcodes to Speed EPR Reporting
Georgia-Pacific is augmenting its existing universal product codes (UPCs) to capture package weight, material composition, and origin data, streamlining compliance with extended producer responsibility (EPR) reporting. The move aligns with new GS1 guidelines that allow additional metrics to be encoded...
Phytokana Locks In $450M in Customer Contracts Ahead of Faba Protein Facility Launch
Phytokana Ingredients, a Calgary‑based faba protein startup, has locked in definitive off‑take agreements worth roughly $450 million, with total potential sales exceeding $500 million when combined with existing MOUs. The contracts span three to ten years and are tied to the upcoming...
Corning to Build Three New Manufacturing Plants After $500 Million NVIDIA Investment
Corning announced a partnership with NVIDIA that includes a $500 million cash investment and a $2.7 billion option to buy additional Corning stock. The deal will fund three new optical‑glass manufacturing plants in North Carolina and Texas, expanding domestic fiber capacity by...