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:
Industry watchers are focused on the pending merger between Hapag‑Lloyd and ZIM Integrated Shipping Services. Readers of Container News flag regulatory approval and Israel’s “golden share” as the most likely obstacles, while labor unrest is viewed as a secondary concern. A minority believe the deal could close smoothly, but the prevailing sentiment is that political oversight could delay or reshape the transaction. This shift from strategic enthusiasm to execution risk underscores the complexity of large‑scale shipping consolidations.
Novo Nordisk announced a €432 million ($506 million) investment to expand its Athlone, Ireland facility, increasing capacity for oral products such as the newly launched Wegovy pill. The expansion is intended to secure supply outside the United States and help the company...
Metrolinx has broken ground on the East Harbour Transit Hub, a new interchange station in Toronto’s Riverdale, Riverside and Leslieville neighborhoods. The 38‑acre transit‑oriented community will link the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO lines with the future Ontario Line, targeting...
IATA reported that global air‑cargo demand rose 5.6% year‑on‑year in January 2026, while capacity increased 3.6% to a record‑high ACTK level. Africa led with an 18.2% demand jump, whereas the Americas saw a sixth consecutive month of decline. Asia‑Pacific capacity...
The RailTech Innovation Award 2026 shortlist features The Signalling Company, Voestalpine Track Solutions, and GeoNext, each showcasing breakthrough technology in digital signalling, sustainable infrastructure, and AI‑driven asset analysis. The Signalling Company unveiled the world’s first software‑defined ETCS platform, achieving certification...
Leo Express has launched two daily return services between Warsaw and Krakow, marking its first entry into Poland’s busiest rail corridor. The service, operated with Stadler FLIRT trains, expands cross‑border connectivity to the Czech Republic and aligns with increased frequencies...
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Frost & Sullivan and Aptean are hosting a webinar on March 26, 2026 to discuss the Industry 5.0 shift in food and beverage. The session highlights how AI‑embedded, unified platforms can replace fragmented, reactive processes across production, quality, supply chain, and finance. Speakers will illustrate...
Infosys announced the completion of a large‑scale data modernization program for CSX Corporation, deploying its AI‑first Topaz platform built on Microsoft Fabric and Purview. The effort consolidated CSX’s fragmented data landscape into a unified cloud‑native environment, creating over 170 data...
TSMC is urging its customers to submit applications for the N2 process node as most capacity is already booked through the end of 2027. Remaining slots carry a six‑quarter lead time, and even allocated customers face up to twelve months...
Warehouse robotics are moving beyond Amazon and Walmart as subscription‑based models lower entry barriers. A 2025 MHI study shows robot usage in warehouses jumped to 48%, with 64% of respondents adopting robotics‑as‑a‑service (RaaS) or SaaS solutions. Mid‑size firms like Superior...
Nutrius CEO Charles Wachsberg told investors that ongoing tariff and trade uncertainty has not affected the company’s operations because all products are fully compliant with the Canada‑United States‑Mexico Agreement. He emphasized that Nutrius’s North‑American supply chain places its goods outside...
For the last 250 years, English has been the language of global trade. Flexport Translations changes that, allowing importers and exporters to communicate in their own language with live translations (powered by @grok) so they can understand each other. We've...
Trump. Uncertainty. Disruption. No equilibrium. What would that mean to trade, supply chains, and logistics?
Dedicated, or contract, trucking is maturing into a $100‑150 billion market within the broader $541 billion private‑dedicated segment. Major carriers such as Werner and A. Duie Pyle rely on dedicated contracts for 5 % and 18 % of revenue respectively, highlighting the model’s profitability. E‑commerce growth...
Memory shortage reported back to back months in the ISM Manufacturing Survey. I suspect this will be with us for a while.... https://t.co/RUpjKtiOJ6
YoY truckload volumes, by mode: Flatbed +61% Reefer +17% Van +3% Flatbed volumes are at all time highs, led by manufacturing and heavy industry, not housing https://t.co/qst2cb1rhu
Supply chain risk is rising for oil‑and‑gas and heavy‑industry firms, prompting a sharper focus on sourcing verified oil country tubular goods (OCTG). Global demand reached 16 million metric tons in 2024, with seamless tubes accounting for more than half. Verification—through mill...
The Association of German Shipowners (VDR) reported that at least 25 ships from seven German companies remain in Gulf waters, including two cruise ships carrying roughly 7,000 passengers who are unable to safely exit the region. https://t.co/Jm1JQWRcIE
Suez Canal transits. By vessel types. Will the next one show the impact of the US-Iran war?
KNAPP North America will showcase its latest warehouse‑automation portfolio at MODEX 2026, including the award‑winning AeroBot three‑dimensional robot and the high‑throughput Evo Shuttle 2D/1D systems. The company will also unveil KNAPP Brain, the industry’s first AI layer built specifically for digital...
XTI Aerospace’s Drone Nerds unit announced the addition of Creality’s SPARKX i7 3D printer to its product line. The i7 features AI‑assisted setup, real‑time monitoring, and an automatic filament‑switching system that supports up to four‑color prints. The printer is marketed...
Deloitte announced an expanded partnership with NVIDIA to launch physical AI offerings built on the Omniverse platform. The new services combine high‑fidelity digital twins, advanced computer‑vision models, and secure edge‑robotics tools for industries such as automotive, life‑sciences, and manufacturing. Deloitte’s...
The article traces the evolution of supply‑chain control towers from early 1990s pilots to today’s AI‑enhanced platforms. It highlights how the internet enabled multi‑tenant cloud solutions, yet true end‑to‑end visibility still requires stitching together disparate systems. The pandemic acted as...
Hapag‑Lloyd has suspended all Trans‑Suez sailings on its IMX service and will reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope because of deteriorating security in the Middle East and rising tensions in the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. The carrier says the safety...
Industrial automation is moving beyond traditional COTS SCADA and MES platforms toward custom software that delivers richer user experiences and cross‑domain insights. This shift requires new capabilities such as UX design, DevOps pipelines, and API development that many OT teams...
Logistics Viewpoints has been relaunched as an institutional decision‑support platform aimed at supply‑chain technology leaders. The redesign is structural, organizing content into decision‑relevant domains such as planning, transportation, AI, and sustainability rather than chasing trends. The platform emphasizes independent, analyst‑driven...
Retailers are placing seasonal merchandise, such as Easter items, on shelves months before the holiday because the design, manufacturing, and shipping processes require six to nine months of lead time. EY Canada partner Georgianna Ma explains that early placement helps...
The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) secured a four‑year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply Recover Assist Securing and Traversing (RAST) systems to the Naval Air Warfare Centre. Curtiss‑Wright’s Mississauga plant will manufacture the equipment and provide field...
Stratasys Ltd. received an EcoVadis Gold Medal, ranking it in the top 5% of over 150,000 evaluated companies. The upgrade from last year’s Silver rating highlights stronger sustainability management and expanded ESG reporting. The company cited progress in Scope 3 emissions...
Polish PKP Intercity’s ED250 Pendolino will operate on Czech Railways’ SuperCity line between Prague and Bohumín from 9 March to 17 June, marking the first regular passenger service of the fleet outside Poland. The three‑month deployment will cover roughly 60,000 km, providing real‑world...
In this episode, host Chris Walton and Richard McKenzie, CEO of Valak (Rolik Group), dissect why U.S. grocery e‑commerce remains unprofitable despite a 19% penetration rate. They identify the primary cost drivers—inefficient picking/packing, high last‑mile expenses, and low basket sizes—and...
Russian rolling stock output contracted sharply in 2025, with total freight wagon production falling 29.5% to roughly 52,700 units and locomotive output dropping between 15% and 44% across categories. Only metro and tank wagons recorded modest growth, while hopper wagons...
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT(UK)) has released its fourth‑annual “35 Under 35” list for 2026, marking a record number of nominations. The programme spotlights young professionals driving innovation across freight, passenger transport, last‑mile delivery and supply‑chain...
The February Sinification digest captures a widening debate within China over how to navigate a fragmenting global order. Analysts propose a shift from free‑trade to “managed trade” frameworks, while others call for crystal‑clear economic red lines comparable to Taiwan policy....
Ferrero, valued at $62.7 bn, is leveraging its iconic brands, vertical integration and a string of acquisitions to expand beyond chocolate into biscuits, ice cream and snacks. Product innovation and premium positioning have driven a 4.6% revenue increase to €19.3 bn in...
Olga Romanova founded CargoHR, an international recruitment firm focused on aviation, air cargo and logistics. She recalls a pivotal interview with Turkish Cargo in Vienna that launched her career abroad. Romanova highlights how the sector has accelerated, with massive data...
Reports that Iran hit the 🇺🇲 flagged commercial tanker Stena Imperative. This was the ship harassed by Iran transiting the Strait of Hormuz back on Feb 3.
Iran’s recent missile barrage over the Persian Gulf resulted in debris striking Jebel Ali, the world’s busiest container port, igniting a fire that forced a temporary shutdown. The incident halted more than 10% of global container throughput, disrupting supply chains that...
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz will force Indian garment exporters to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 20‑25 days to transit times. Higher freight costs and longer shipping windows threaten the tight seasonal calendars of...
Hong Kong’s Monetary Authority, Shanghai’s Data Bureau and the National Technology Innovation Center for Blockchain have signed an MoU to develop a blockchain‑based cross‑border platform for trade data, electronic bills of lading and financing. The effort will build on the...
In February 2026 DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight recorded 17 new orders for alternative‑fuel vessels, 14 of which were LNG‑powered container ships. The remaining three orders were for dual‑fuel ethane gas carriers. Overall, 37 alternative‑fuel vessels were ordered in the first...
“The application of #Lean in logistics has seen a less successful & uniform uptake overall than in manufacturing. Some of the influencing factors relate to the disparate attitudes & service models across the #logistics landscape globally.” https://t.co/icZPxfrwU0 #supplychain
Fashion logistics were jolted after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliation, prompting container lines to pull vessels from the Suez Canal. Gulf‑bound bookings were suspended and major Middle Eastern air cargo hubs reduced operations. The disruption forces brands...
SAP Ariba announced a full architectural rebuild of its Source-to-Pay suite, targeting a February 2026 release. The new platform will be AI‑native, leveraging SAP Business Technology Platform and introducing Joule agents for tasks like bid analysis and intake management. Existing customers...
Medline Industries is scaling its AI‑driven supply‑chain platform, Mpower, in partnership with Microsoft, to provide a digital control tower that automates forecasting, inventory management and disruption alerts for hospital customers. The company is also expanding warehouse robotics, now operating AutoStore...
Middle East airspace closures have slashed global air cargo capacity by 18%, with Rotate data indicating that 13% of worldwide lift is directly impacted. The suspension of Gulf carriers such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad removed roughly 22,000 tonnes...
Critical minerals have become the centerpiece of the U.S.-China rivalry, but the contest is playing out in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. While China dominates mid‑stream processing of rare earths and battery materials, Washington is building "friend‑shoring" partnerships to...
Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Riyadh City has broken ground on two new metro stations within King Saud University as part of the Red Line extension. The extension will add 8.4 km of track and five stations, linking the university campus...
WESTbahn began open‑access service on Austria’s Southern Railway on 1 March 2026, directly challenging state‑owned ÖBB along the Vienna‑Graz‑Klagenfurt‑Villach corridor. The operator initially runs three daily return trips, expanding to five by 29 May, using three new 11‑car Stadler SMILE trainsets capable of...
Vietnam's Agency of Foreign Trade issued Dispatch No. 229/XNK‑TLH warning that the recent escalation of Middle East hostilities poses serious risks to international transport, trade and supply chains. The agency highlighted expected spikes in consumer‑goods, fuel and oil prices, which...
