Today's Supply Chain Pulse
Logistics volatility declared permanent in 2026 State of Logistics Report
The report finds supply‑chain volatility now a permanent condition, with U.S. logistics costs falling to $2.4 trillion, or 7.8% of GDP, down from $2.6 trillion in 2025. Five structural forces—uneven global growth, tighter financial conditions, geoeconomic realignment, labor constraints, and energy price swings—drive the new normal, while AI and automation reshape operations.
Also developing:
By the numbers: US IDFC partners with Chubb on $20B maritime reinsurance plan
AI Takes the Wheel at Europe’s Biggest Carmakers
European premium automakers Audi, BMW and Mercedes‑Benz are embedding artificial intelligence across factories, supply chains and vehicles. AI‑driven image processing now flags welding defects in real time, while autonomous robots handle material transport and generative AI compresses development cycles. BMW i Ventures launched a $300 million Fund III, raising its assets under management to $1.1 billion to back physical and industrial AI startups. Mercedes‑Benz partnered with Liquid AI to embed on‑device foundation models in its cars, with production slated for late 2026.
China’s Naval Push Raises Hormuz‑style Tension Concerns
China ships near other countries. Their military. Will the Strait of Hormuz fiasco play here?
From Germany to CEE: The New Global Mittelstand
Germany’s Mittelstand—family‑owned, niche manufacturers that generate a third of the country’s GDP—is being mirrored in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). A 2025 EY survey shows 41% of CEE firms grew 6‑20% last year, with 18% exceeding 20% growth, while UniCredit...
‘A Lot of Money to Be Made:’ How Canada's Food and Beverage Companies Can Grow Outside the U.S.
Canadian food and beverage exporters are rethinking their heavy reliance on the United States as the CUSMA trade pact heads for renegotiation. A panel at SIAL Canada highlighted the need to explore new markets, with Export Development Canada (EDC) focusing...
Exxon, Chevron Ramp Refinery Utilization Amid Mideast Crisis
Exxon Mobil and Chevron are aggressively increasing refinery utilization in response to severe supply disruptions caused by the near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The geopolitical bottleneck has driven crude and refined product prices to their highest levels in several...
High‑frequency Truckload Spot Rates Now $25/Month
If you are looking for high frequency truckload spot rates for desktop - it’s now available for just $25/mo
New US Entrants Lining Up to Fill Global LNG Supply Gap
U.S. developers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) have cleared two critical regulatory hurdles, positioning new export projects to enter service within the next few years. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved construction permits while the Department of Energy issued export...
MSC, Tradepoint Begin Work on First Private US Terminal in Decades
Mediterranean Shipping Company’s terminal arm and real‑estate developer Tradepoint Atlantic broke ground on the Sparrows Point Container Terminal at the Port of Baltimore, marking the first privately built U.S. container terminal in four decades. The ceremony, attended by Maryland Governor...
Crude Tankers Decline Despite Yanbu Demand
Crude shipments from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port surged to roughly 4‑4.2 million barrels per day in April, compensating for a steep drop in Middle‑East Gulf loadings that fell to 1.8‑1.9 million b/d after the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict halted Hormuz traffic. Despite the Yanbu...
DKEM Seeks Funding to Scale Gigawatt Copper Paste
Chinese PV Industry Brief: DKEM seeks cash injection to scale up gigawatt-level production of copper metallization paste #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/nFRo9vUc0J
Scope 3 Emissions: Challenging? Yes. Impossible To Reduce? No.
Scope 3 emissions—upstream and downstream activities—represent roughly 80% of most companies' carbon footprints, yet only about 5% of U.S. firms currently disclose them. The SEC’s 2024 climate‑disclosure rule narrows mandatory reporting to large accelerated filers, leaving most firms with voluntary transparency....
SpRCO Awards Contracts For Radar Warning Satellites
On April 29, the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SpRCO) partnered with SpaceWERX to fund three small firms—Assurance Technology Corporation, Raptor Dynamix, and Innovative Signal Analysis—with $3 million contracts each for radar warning receivers. The receivers will detect ground‑based radar emissions that...
High LNG Prices Curb China's Imports, Freeing Supply Globally
Zero signal about China here China is a discretionary LNG importer. It can generate with dirtier domestic coal if needed. High prices generally mean lower imports. Helps globally -- China is freeing up LNG for folks...
Trump Pushes ‘Peace Pipelines’ to Boost Exports of Climate-Busting LNG to Europe
The Trump administration announced a series of “Peace Pipelines” agreements at the Three Seas Initiative summit, aiming to accelerate U.S. LNG exports to Central and Eastern Europe as a substitute for Russian gas. The Department of Energy says U.S. natural‑gas...
U.S. Targets Iran–China Oil Pipeline in Dual Sanctions Move on Shipping and Finance
The United States announced a dual‑pronged sanctions package that hits a China‑based oil terminal, Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., for handling tens of millions of barrels of Iranian crude since early 2025, and three Iranian currency‑exchange houses that convert oil...
Demise of ‘Pool of Pools’ Marks New Chassis Era in Southern California
TRAC Intermodal will withdraw from the Southern California “Pool of Pools” chassis cooperative on June 1, ending a system that has served the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports since 2015. The pool, which peaked at roughly 80,000 chassis, has already shrunk to...
Hormuz Closure Threatens Solar Aluminium Supply Chain
How the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affects solar aluminium sourcing #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/NvUU88jGsi
Michigan Bean Commission Says Solving Logistical Limitations Would Open New Avenues
Michigan Bean Commission Executive Director Joe Cramer highlighted logistics as a major long‑term constraint for the state’s bean growers. A deteriorating short‑line railroad in the Thumb limits speed, forcing most exports to travel by boxcar and bulk copper cars for...
U.S. Navy Blockade Pushes Iran’s Oil to Sea Storage
US Naval Blockade Squeezes Iran's Oil Exports, Forces Crude Onto Floating Storage. What us the Navy doing if there us no war? https://t.co/IVew9eYx3o
Aras PLM Conference Thoughts Coming Soon
The author announced that a detailed recap of the Aras PLM Community Event in Miami will be published soon, after a brief podcast and YouTube recap. He’s juggling a packed schedule, including research on AI agents, frontline‑worker solutions from ACE...
UN Warns Hormuz Blockade Could Trigger Global Recession as US‑Iran Tensions Flare
U.N. Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres urged the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that a prolonged choke‑point could spark a global recession with inflation soaring past 6%. The warning comes as U.S. naval forces confront Iranian vessels and Brent...
US Inflation Jumps 0.7% in March, Annual Rate Hits 3.5% Amid Iran War Gasoline Surge
U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation rose 0.7% in March, pushing the annual rate to 3.5%, the fastest increase since May 2023. The surge was driven by a 24.1% jump in gasoline prices after the Iran war disrupted oil supplies,...
FCC Unanimously Votes to Bar Chinese Labs and Data Centers, Tightening U.S. Telecom Security
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to prohibit all Chinese laboratories from testing electronic devices destined for the United States and, in a separate 3‑0 vote, moved to bar China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom from operating data centers...
China's Logistics Value Hits $14 T, Up 6.2% YoY in Q1 2026
China's logistics sector recorded a total social logistics value of 96.4 trillion yuan ($14 trillion) in the first quarter of 2026, a 6.2% year‑over‑year increase. The surge was led by industrial goods logistics, which grew 5.8% and accounted for more than 80%...
California Small Manufacturers Squeezed by Tariffs and Iran War Costs
California small manufacturers are feeling the pinch from renewed U.S. tariffs and the fallout of the Iran conflict. Owner Nichole MacDonald reports sales down 50% and raw‑material costs up 25%, while port officials warn surcharges are now being passed to...
FAS 2.0 Becomes ASD/Create: GSA’s Quiet Rewiring of Federal Procurement Power
The General Services Administration is rebranding its Federal Acquisition Service as Acquisition Solutions Development/Create (ASD/Create), rolling out the change the week of May 4. The reorganization shifts the agency from a neutral contract facilitator to a strategic buyer that centralizes portfolio‑level...
Trump’s Economic Fury Strikes Again as US Sanctions Chinese Oil Terminal over Iran Imports
The U.S. State Department has imposed sanctions on a Chinese oil terminal and two Chinese ship‑management firms to tighten pressure on Iran’s oil exports. The action coincides with President Donald Trump’s public disappointment in Iran’s latest peace proposal and follows...
Ramp Rolls Out AI Agents for Procurement
Ramp unveiled AI‑driven procurement agents that automate request intake, vendor sourcing, contract review and compliance checks. The agents leverage anonymized pricing data from millions of transactions, giving a 200‑person firm the same benchmark power as a Fortune 500. Ramp reports customers...
The Costs of Contract Duplication
The Army’s Marketplace for Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) is duplicating multiple existing federal contracting vehicles, inflating bid, proposal, and administration costs for both government and industry. Large firms are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each, while the cumulative...
Support for Ukraine Halting Russian Oil Production
If Ukraine manages to completely disrupt Russian oil production and export, I am here for it!
Tariff Flip-Flops Reveal Trump’s Policy Inconsistency
Yesterday, Trump lifted UK whiskey tariffs that were supposedly (by law) about a "balance of payments" crisis. Today, he's imposing EU automotive tariffs that were supposedly (by law) about "national security". It's all so manifestly ridiculous.
Schneider's Rourke Optimistic Freight Upcycle Has Taken Hold
Schneider National reported first‑quarter 2026 results with revenue essentially flat at $1.4 billion and net income dropping to $20.4 million, or 12 cents per share, versus $26.1 million a year earlier. CEO Mark Rourke said the freight up‑cycle has finally taken hold, driven...
KPMG Study Finds New Urgency for Risk Management and Resilience
A new KPMG U.S. Supply Chain Survey of 462 senior executives shows risk management and resilience have become top priorities. Fifty‑one percent rank managing and mitigating risks as the most important transformation objective, and 39% plan to invest heavily in...
How Fast Shipping Impacts eCommerce Conversion Rates (2026 Data & Insights)
Fast shipping has shifted from a competitive perk to a baseline expectation in eCommerce, directly influencing conversion, cart abandonment, and customer lifetime value. Baymard Institute’s 2025 study shows 23% of cart abandoners cite slow delivery, while offering 2‑3 day shipping...
Descartes Report Describes Tumultuous Year at U.S. Ports
The 2026 Descartes Datamyne Port Report shows U.S. maritime imports held steady in 2025, with total containerized volume flat at roughly 28.09 million TEUs, a marginal 0.03% decline from the prior year. Trade volatility, driven by fluctuating U.S.-China tariffs that peaked...
DRC Copper Exports to US Set to Surge Amid Warnings of Corruption Risk
The Democratic Republic of the Congo plans to export 500,000 metric tons of copper to the United States, a five‑fold increase from its January commitment. The surge aligns with Washington’s push to diversify away from Chinese‑sourced copper, even as the...
Tesla Earns $573M Selling Parts to SpaceX, xAI
Yes, did you expect them to buy inferior products from competitors? If SpaceX needs vehicles or battery packs... who did you think they were going to buy them from?
Shipping’s Decarbonisation Drive Back on Track, Says IMO
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) says its Net Zero Framework for shipping remains on schedule despite vocal opposition from the United States and major oil‑producing nations. After two weeks of intensive negotiations, senior officials confirmed the decarbonisation plan is still...
Trump Says He Will Raise Tariff on EU Vehicles to 25%
Former President Donald Trump announced he would raise the tariff on European‑made vehicles to 25% if he returns to the White House. The proposal would double the current 10% duty applied to cars from the EU, targeting major manufacturers such...
Why UK Whisky Tariffs Are Being Lifted After A Royal Visit
In April 2025 the United States slapped a 10 percent tariff on British goods, including Scotch whisky, causing a 15 percent export decline and a loss of roughly 12 million bottles. The duty cost the U.K. whisky sector about £4 million ($5.4 million) weekly and hurt...
Op-Ed: The Jones Act Waiver, A Gift to China and NATO’s Iran Onlookers
The Biden administration extended a Jones Act waiver for 90 days, allowing foreign‑flagged vessels to operate in domestic U.S. trades. MARAD data shows most of the fifteen voyages under the waiver were carried out by European allies and four ships...
Samsung Is the Latest Tech Player to Bemoan Memory Chip Crunch. That's Good News for These Stocks
Samsung’s memory division disclosed a record‑low demand‑fulfillment rate as pre‑orders for DRAM and NAND are already being booked through 2027, signaling a widening supply gap. The shortage is hitting AI‑driven capex, which analysts expect could exceed $1 trillion by next year,...
Transportation Safety Board of Canada Continues Quest for PTC-Like System After 2023 Collision of BNSF Trains
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its investigation of the November 19, 2023 BNSF train collision in Delta, British Columbia, where a northbound freight train missed a stop signal and struck a southbound train, derailing multiple cars and spilling roughly 8,000 litres...
Journal of Commerce Top 100 US Importers and Exporters in 2025
The 2026 Journal of Commerce Top 100 US Importers and Exporters list shows combined import volumes slipping 1.1% and export volumes falling 4.5% year‑over‑year. Despite this decline among the largest shippers, total US container imports rose 0.7% to a record 28.16 million TEUs,...
Hormuz Shock Hits Energy First, Then Supply Chain
Hormuz disruption hit energy first - then freight, packaging & fertilizer. Energy-intensive categories feel it early. Do you know your first pressure points? LMA can help. #SupplyChain #FoodAndBeverage #Logistics #RiskManagement #SIOP https://t.co/fwHLf1xAdQ
LNG Vessel Finally Transits Strait of Hormuz, Others Moving Toward Waterway
The first fully loaded LNG tanker has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran‑UAE conflict began on Feb. 28. The vessel, named Mubaraz, is chartered by ADNOC and was loaded at the UAE’s 6 million‑ton‑per‑year Das Island export terminal on...
Semiconductor Contracts Overhaul Memory and Storage Naming
Only if you have covered semis, and been through the scars of memory and storage, can you fully grasp how big of a change this is for mem and storage names. Really, the entirety of semis supply chain contracts are...
White House Says Iran Hostilities ‘Terminated’ as War Powers Deadline Arrives
The White House announced that hostilities with Iran are considered terminated as the May 1 deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution approached. The Trump administration argues the cease‑fire claim exempts it from the legal requirement to seek congressional authorization. Democrats...
A Mark Cuban–Backed Vegan Cheese Company Trained AI to Scrutinize Cardboard Boxes. It’s Saved $400,000
Rebel Cheese, a Mark Cuban‑backed vegan cheese startup, built an autonomous AI agent to audit shipping invoices and inspect cardboard boxes, uncovering overcharges and saving $400,000. The tool cross‑checks each bill against contract rates and flags box bulges as small...
Manufacturing Expands for Fourth Straight Month in April as Prices Surge and Hiring Lags
The Institute for Supply Management reported a PMI of 52.7 for April, matching March and marking the fourth consecutive month of manufacturing expansion. New orders rose to 54.1 while production growth slowed and employment fell to a 46.4 index, extending...