Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Oman transit corridor revives India’s West Asia trade
India’s May 2026 exports to West Asia rebounded to $5.30 billion after a sharp March dip, thanks to a new transit corridor through Oman’s Sohar, Salalah and Duqm ports that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. The recovery was led by the UAE, where shipments rose 3.18% year‑on‑year, and Saudi Arabia, which also saw notable gains.
Also developing:
By the numbers: GIA acquires 30% stake in De Beers' Tracr blockchain platform
Raytheon Gets $441M Urgent GEM-T Missile Order
Raytheon Technologies received a $441.6 million contract modification on April 30, 2026, to produce PATRIOT GEM‑T missiles for Operation Epic Fury. The work will be carried out at the company’s Chambersburg, Pennsylvania plant with a hard deadline of September 30, 2026. All funds were obligated immediately from FY2026 special Pentagon appropriations, bypassing the usual multi‑year, milestone‑based financing. The order tests Raytheon’s ability to accelerate production at its sole domestic PATRIOT missile line.
Polish Seaports Target Accessibility and Infrastructure Investment
Polish seaports are pivoting toward improved accessibility and multimodal connectivity after record cargo volumes exposed infrastructure limits. The Port of Gdańsk handled 80.4 million tonnes in 2025, a 4% rise, while Baltic Hub processed 2.7 million TEUs, up 23% year‑on‑year. Plans include...
UPS Trucks Blocked NYC Bus Lanes 25,000 Times Last Year
UPS trucks were captured blocking New York City bus lanes 25,000 times in 2025, nearly double the 12,975 violations logged by Amazon. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority recorded a total of 843,000 bus‑lane violations citywide, issuing $54.9 million in fines. Other commercial...
Ups and Downs at the Port of Los Angeles (Episode 213)
The latest episode of Trade Talks, hosted by PIIE senior researcher Chad P. Bown, examines recent volatility at the Port of Los Angeles. Container volumes slipped 8% year‑over‑year in April 2026, while a brief labor‑contract dispute caused a three‑day slowdown...
IRGC Just Outdid Khamenei? Forces Kuwait to Halt All Crude Exports for the First Time in 35 Years?
On April 2026, Kuwait ceased all crude oil shipments, marking the first full export halt since the Gulf War. TankerTrackers confirmed zero outbound cargo, attributing the stoppage to heightened security risks in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions....
U.S. Crude Oil Exports Surge to Record as Tankers Flock to Gulf Coast During Iran War
U.S. crude oil exports surged to a record 5.2 million barrels per day in April, driven by Asian and other buyers seeking alternatives after Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf Coast, especially the Port of Corpus Christi, saw unprecedented...
Borderlands Mexico: Nearshoring Fuels 800K-Square-Foot Industrial Build in El Paso
Dallas‑based Formation Interests has broken ground on FORM375, an 800,000‑square‑foot industrial park in El Paso, Texas, adjacent to the Zaragoza port of entry. The four‑building campus includes a 513,000‑square‑foot cross‑dock designed to provide “zero‑distance” logistics for cross‑border freight. Trade through the...
KFC China Sales Jump 33% on Delivery Boom, Margins Tighten
KFC China’s delivery sales surged 33% year‑on‑year in Q1, now accounting for 55% of total sales, while Yum China warned that profit margins slipped 190 basis points due to higher rider costs. The growth underscores fast‑food brands’ reliance on delivery...
Germany Invests $1.6 Billion to Convert Bremerhaven Port for Military Logistics
Germany has allocated €1.35 bn ($1.6 bn) to upgrade the Bremerhaven port, turning the world’s largest car terminal into a dual‑use hub capable of loading 60‑ton Leopard tanks. The state‑funded project, part of the 2026 budget, signals a major shift in European...
Tesla’s First Semi Rolls Off Nevada High‑Volume Line, Targeting 50,000 Units Yearly
Tesla announced that the first Tesla Semi has left its Nevada high‑volume production line, a facility designed to build up to 50,000 electric trucks a year. The rollout follows a series of pilot trials with major logistics firms and introduces...
Vicor Posts $113 Million Q1 Revenue, CFO Schmidt Flags Strong Growth and Capacity Plans
Vicor Corporation announced first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $113 million, a 20.2% year‑over‑year increase. CFO James F. Schmidt emphasized expanding gross margins, a robust backlog and a strategic push to boost manufacturing capacity. The results signal continued momentum for the power‑electronics specialist...
PlayStation 6 Launch Pushed to 2028‑2029 as AI‑driven RAM Shortage Bites
Sony Interactive Entertainment is reportedly postponing the PlayStation 6 launch to 2028 or 2029 because of a global shortage of high‑bandwidth RAM driven by AI data‑center demand. Leaks suggest a major hardware leap—Zen 6 CPU, RDNA 5 GPU, 30 GB DDR7 memory—and a...
Crude Oil Breaks $100 a Barrel as Hormuz Tensions Spur Indian Airline Cost Crunch
Brent crude surged past $100 per barrel on May 3, spurred by renewed Strait of Hormuz tensions. The price spike is hitting Indian airlines hard, with jet‑fuel costs soaring and margins under pressure, while a VLCC carrying 1.9 million barrels slipped...
Israel to Double F‑35 Fleet and Add 50 F‑15IAs in $100 Billion Procurement Push
Israel announced a $100 billion procurement plan to expand its fighter fleet, doubling the number of F‑35s from 50 to 100 and adding 25 new F‑15IAs to reach 50. The deal, part of a NIS 350 billion (≈$98 billion) ten‑year defense budget, aims to...
California Braces for Uncertainty as Last Shipment of Persian Gulf Oil Arrives in Long Beach
The last California‑bound tanker from the Persian Gulf, the New Corolla, has off‑loaded 2 million barrels of crude at the Port of Long Beach, marking the end of Gulf shipments amid the Iran‑triggered Strait of Hormuz closure. California now faces a daily shortfall...
80% of Africa’s Fertiliser Is Imported: How Food Systems Can Adapt to the Iran Shock
The Iran‑Gulf conflict has sharply reduced urea exports, with Strait of Hormuz traffic down 95%, disrupting the global fertilizer supply chain. Sub‑Saharan Africa, which imports roughly 80% of its fertilizer from Gulf states, faces soaring prices and potential shortages. Past...
India’s Horn of Africa Strategy Has Shifted: What It’s Trying to Do and How It Could Work
India has shifted its Horn of Africa policy from limited UN peacekeeping and anti‑piracy patrols to a proactive mix of maritime security, trade promotion, and development assistance. The 2025 Africa‑India Key Maritime Engagement formalizes New Delhi’s role as a regional...
Airlines Can Cancel Flights in Advance over Fuel Shortages Under New Plans
The UK government has unveiled a contingency framework that permits airlines to cancel or merge flights weeks in advance if jet‑fuel shortages arise, while preserving their take‑off and landing slots at congested airports. The scheme allows carriers to temporarily hand...
Supply Chain Skills Gap: Upskill with AI and Sustainability
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ : The supply chain skills gap is about to hit your industry hard. Here is what I am seeing right now: SKILLS IN DEMAND (2025–2027): → Supply chain analytics and AI → Digital procurement transformation → Demand sensing and forecasting → Supply chain...
Warehouse Costs: Regional Averages & Tips To Reduce Costs
E‑commerce firms face a steep cost jump when moving from home‑based storage to dedicated warehouses, with rent averaging $10 per square foot nationally in late 2025. Regional rents vary widely—$17‑$21 in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, $8‑$12 in mid‑tier hubs, and under...
Sleepy Lamu Port Slowly Awakens as an Alternative Gateway to East Africa
Kenya’s $2.5 billion Lamu port, a deep‑water facility, has seen a dramatic surge in traffic as Middle East tensions force vessels to reroute. In the first four months of 2024, 102 ships—including the first pure car carriers—called at the port, with...
Ukraine Steps up Tanker War Against Russia, Hitting Three More Ships
Ukraine announced that sea‑drone operations on May 3, 2026 struck three Russian‑registered tankers, intensifying its maritime sabotage campaign. Two vessels were hit at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and a third at the Baltic port of Primorsk. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted video...
Change Incorporation on Boeing 777-9s Will Take “Years”, CEO Said
Boeing has more than 30 unfinished 777‑9 jets stored at Everett that must undergo a lengthy change‑incorporation process before they can be delivered. CEO Kelly Ortberg said the effort, which updates each aircraft to the latest FAA‑approved configuration, will take...
It’s Never Good News for the Oompa Loompas
Hershey announced a $250 million supply‑chain modernization effort that it expects to generate roughly $300 million in annual savings. The initiative reflects a broader push toward automation and digitalization in large confectionery firms. However, the promised efficiencies have not translated into job...
The Hormuz Blockade: Why a Fragile Ceasefire May Not Lower Global Oil Prices
Brent crude surged to $125 a barrel, the highest level since March 2022, as naval blockades in the Strait of Hormuz curtailed roughly one‑fifth of global oil flows. Iran’s conditional reopening and U.S. naval actions have left tankers stranded and insurers...
Contship Reports Strong 2025 Results with Revenue and Profit Growth
Contship Italia Group posted a robust 2025 performance, with net revenues reaching €293 million (approximately $320 million), a 10.9% year‑on‑year increase, and net profit climbing 16.7%. Growth was driven by both its maritime terminal operations and a fifth consecutive year of expansion...
Scaling Battery Production: The Growing Importance of Quality Assurance and Multi-Modal Inspection
The global battery market, valued at $181 bn in 2025, is projected to more than double to $432 bn by 2034, driven by a 10% CAGR. As factories scale—exemplified by a $4.3 bn U.S. plant and CATL’s $8.55 bn Hungarian gigafactory—quality assurance becomes a...
Chinese Exports of Green Technologies Surged to Record Levels After Iran War Began
Chinese green‑technology exports surged to record levels in March as the Iran war triggered a global oil shock. China shipped 68 GW of solar equipment, a 50% jump over the previous peak, while total solar, battery and electric‑vehicle exports rose 70%...
World’s Largest Container Carrier Plans Route Avoiding Blockaded Hormuz
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co announced a new Europe‑to‑Middle East service that bypasses the blockaded Strait of Hormuz. The inaugural sailing leaves Antwerp on May 10, calling at several European ports before transiting the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Jeddah and King Abdullah,...
Toyota Drives EV Recycling in Crucial Race to Save Planet
Toyota Motor Philippines brought its partner En Tsumugi ELV Dismantler to Japan for a two‑day training on EV battery dismantling, storage and recycling. The program, part of Toyota’s Global 100 Dismantlers Project, also included participants from Thailand and aims to expand a...
Japan Locks Down Naphtha Supply Through 2027, Averting Petrochemical Shortfall
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that Japan has secured enough petroleum‑derived naphtha to last into 2027, expanding procurement beyond the Middle East. The move aims to prevent a supply shock for the country's plastics and chemicals manufacturers as regional...
Virtex to Close Menomonee Falls Plant, Cutting 91 Jobs
Virtex announced it will shut its Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin plant, eliminating 91 positions. Layoffs begin between June 28 and July 12, with the facility slated to close completely by Oct. 31, underscoring ongoing consolidation in the electronics manufacturing services sector.
Data Center Boom Pushes Flatbed Rates to Record High
Flatbed trucking spot rates hit a new all-time high at $4.07/mile. Data center construction is 7% of flatbed volumes and is driving a massive amount of material movement. Data center buildout is the largest infrastructure project in history and the...
Overbuilding Ports Won’t Break China’s Supply Chain Grip
Trying to avoid China’s grip on global supply chains. Ships/shipping. Ports. Port equipment. Made in China. Decades of abandoning to China. Geopolitics. Choke points. Over build in ports. Dreams of logistic hubs. Logistics fragmentation. Capital misspend. No real answers.
Valve Cites RAM Shortages as Cause of Steam Machine Pricing Delay
Valve confirmed that its much‑anticipated Steam Machine mini‑PC will not launch as planned, citing limited RAM availability and soaring memory prices. The company released the Steam Controller on May 4 but pushed back the Steam Machine, leaving pricing and launch timing...
Union Pacific Threatens to Abandon NS Deal over Regulator Demands
UP will walk away from its proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern if federal regulators order widespread trackage rights or line sales as part of their approval of the deal. https://t.co/TaAktc4oJN
Procurement’s Narrow Focus Limits Value Beyond Cost
“Too many #procurement pros and functions are locked in a ‘cost savings’ mindset. Even when able to expand their thinking to consider value rather than cost, their perspective of ‘value’ is still narrowly confined to financial value.” 🔎 https://t.co/qAx3AFHwol #supplychain https://t.co/AYyYIL8Cpl
Trump Reviews Iran's 14‑Point Peace Plan as Oil Prices Top $108 per Barrel
President Donald Trump announced he is reviewing Iran's new 14‑point peace proposal while oil benchmarks surged past $108 a barrel. The move comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, keeping global oil and LNG flows constrained and fueling...
Japan's Crude Shortage Forces Rare Mexican Purchases
Japan needs Canadian crude oil, but can’t get it. Why? There’s no additional export capacity. That’s why Japan is making rare purchases of crude from Mexico.
Congress Must Fund DOT‑FBI Task Force Against Transport Crime
Congress should fund a DOT + FBI task force to investigate and prosecute the organized criminals that have infected our transportation networks.
Shipping Date Meaning: Key Shipping Dates To Track
The article clarifies that a shipping date marks the moment a carrier takes possession of a package, not the order placement. It outlines the variables—processing time, cutoff times, inventory model, and production cycles—that influence when a shipment leaves a warehouse....
Flatbed Volumes Hit Record, Driving AI Trucking Boom
Flatbed truckload volumes are at an all time high. Flatbeds are the best way to play the AI boom in trucking. https://t.co/raep5XWfjW
Industrial Freight Surge Fuels Economic Reshaping and Upside
Its abnormal because our economy is being reshaped right in front of our eyes. We are seeing massive surges of freight demand out of the industrials for AI datacenter construction, energy/power production, and defense. Plus, our industrials are cheaper relative to other...
Clandestine Network Smuggling Starlink Tech Into Iran to Beat Internet Blackout
A covert network is smuggling Starlink satellite‑internet terminals into Iran to bypass the government’s prolonged internet blackout, which began after the Feb. 28 airstrikes. The operation, funded by Iranians abroad, has already moved at least a dozen devices since January, with...
SCOTUS Montgomery Decision Could Upend Broker Liability
The SCOTUS Montgomery case is the most important topic of the summer in freight. If broker liability gets overturned, it will be massive for the mega truckload carriers and deadly for freight brokers and small truckers.
Trump's Hormuz Blockade Halts Kuwait's Oil Sales
Thanks to the Trump Administration’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, KUWAIT CANNOT SELL OIL. https://t.co/p41AG1m4AD
Expert Raises Concern over Disruptions to Naphtha Supply
Academic Pakorn Opaprakasit warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict threatens naphtha imports, a critical feedstock for Thailand's plastic pellet production. He estimates pellet prices could jump 30‑40% and downstream packaging costs 60‑70%. The expert urged the Thai government to...
New Yellow Fleet Highlights Piracy, Blockades, Mariner Plight
Hoped on @BBCAMERICA to discuss Somali pirates, dueling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Sea, and the plight of trapped merchant mariners in the Persian Gulf - a new Yellow Fleet. @campbelledu https://t.co/ukq7OkQuz8
Diesel Soars to $7.50 as Tesla Semi Rolls Out
Two things happened almost simultaneously: - Diesel hit $7.50 per gallon - @Tesla Semi produced its first unit off its new high-volume production line in Sparks, Nevada on April 29, 2026. https://t.co/ZDUV34vxAz https://t.co/QpK0wp2y29
Apple’s Mac Mini Faces Weeks‑long Back‑order as AI Demand Outstrips Supply
Apple raised the entry‑level Mac mini price to $799 and now estimates delivery in early June, after AI‑driven demand outpaced supply. CEO Tim Cook warned the desktop line could take months to rebalance, while the company eyes U.S. production to...