How Decisioning Platforms Reshape Procurement Strategy
The conversation with Tomas Wiemer highlights how decision‑making platforms are shifting procurement from a historical, cost‑control mindset to a forward‑looking, strategic function. Traditional tools excel at tracking spend, but new platforms emphasize predictive analytics, volume insight, and real‑time data. Wiemer stresses the need for a clear long‑term vision, investment in technology and talent, and a deliberate split between operational procurement and strategic sourcing. The ultimate goal is to enable better business decisions rather than merely processing transactions.
Piraeus Car Terminal Welcomes Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
The Port of Piraeus has launched a cooperation with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) following the inaugural call of the M/V Tourmaline Ace at its car terminal. The vessel arrived with roughly 1,000 vehicles bound for the Greek market, marking the...
Drewry’s World Container Index Surges 8% on Asia-Europe Rate Gains
Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 8% to $2,123 per 40‑foot container, driven by strong Asia‑Europe freight gains and continued Transpacific growth. Shanghai‑Rotterdam spot rates surged 19%, while Shanghai‑Genoa rose 10%, reflecting heightened demand on key lanes. Carriers limited capacity, announcing...
MSC Revises Koala Service
MSC has overhauled the rotation of its Koala service linking Northeast Asia and Australia. The southbound call at Jakarta is being dropped in favor of a Singapore stop, and a second northbound call at Adelaide has been added. The revised...
Lloyd’s Register Grants Type Approval to GIT Coatings for Hull Coating
Lloyd’s Register has awarded type approval and technical assurance to GIT Coatings’ next‑generation graphene‑based hull coating, XGIT‑FORCE. The approval confirms compliance with IMO’s Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti‑Fouling Systems and validates the coating’s hard foul‑release performance. GIT Coatings...
CMA CGM Charters Slots on Neoline’s Sail-Powered Transatlantic Service
CMA CGM has signed a charter agreement to secure 50 TEU on each sailing of Neoliner Origin, the sail‑powered container vessel operated by Neoline Armateurs. The ship, with a deadweight of roughly 5,300 tonnes and a capacity of about 265...
MSC Expands St. Petersburg Coverage
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has added two dedicated shuttle services between Klaipeda, Lithuania and St. Petersburg, Russia, bolstering its Baltic feeder network. Baltic Loop 3 will run weekly with a 3,000‑TEU vessel, while Baltic Loop 12 will operate every five days using...
Without Rare Earth Elements, Electronic Warfare Systems Lose Their Edge
Electronic warfare (EW) has become the backbone of modern military operations, turning the electromagnetic spectrum into a decisive battlespace. The performance of EW hardware hinges on rare‑earth‑based components—neodymium‑iron‑boron and samarium‑cobalt magnets for antenna steering, power generation, and high‑temperature stability, plus...
Port of Rotterdam Authority to Build New Quay
The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Evos Rotterdam have agreed to build a new inland shipping quay to accommodate Evos’s terminal expansion in Europoort. The expansion adds five storage tanks, boosting capacity by 67,500 cubic metres for methanol, ethanol and...
Maersk Introduces Peak Season Surcharge From Asia Pacific
Maersk announced a new Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for cargo moving from Asia Pacific to South Africa and Mauritius, effective 1 April 2026. The surcharge is $500 per 20‑foot dry container and $1,000 per 40‑foot container. It applies only to non‑spot bookings...
PortSide Stories: Klang
Port Klang is Malaysia’s primary maritime gateway and one of the world’s busiest container ports, handling millions of TEUs annually through its Westports and Northport terminals. Situated 40 km from Kuala Lumpur on the Strait of Malacca, it serves as a...
Work Continues to Boost Submarine Maintenance at Clyde
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £68,890 contract to Shropshire‑based Beaverfit for a temporary, container‑based storage and working facility at HM Naval Base Clyde. The solution comprises eight ISO containers fitted with a canopy, creating a covered engineering...
C.H. Robinson Powers Agentic Supply Chain AI
C.H. Robinson disclosed that its AI platform is built on a proprietary logistics dataset exceeding 100 trillion data points collected over decades. The Lean AI operating system embeds intelligence across core workflows such as pricing, routing, and invoicing, with hundreds...
HFCL Bags USD 1.10 Billion OFC Contract with Global MNC
HFCL Ltd. has secured a long‑term supply agreement with a global multinational corporation to provide high‑fibre‑count optical fiber cables (OFC) worth approximately USD 1.10 billion through December 2030. The contract will deliver multi‑million fibre‑kilometre volumes each year, marking HFCL’s first multi‑year OFC deal...
International Logistics: Cross-Border Ecommerce Strategies (2026) – Shopify
Shopify’s 2026 guide outlines how merchants can master international logistics to capture the booming cross‑border ecommerce market, where 59 % of shoppers buy from overseas and 35 % do so monthly. It breaks down the distinct challenges of moving goods across borders—customs,...
Freight Tech Strategy: Avoiding the Implementation Trap with JBF’s Brad Forester
Brad Forester of JBF Consulting warns that logistics technology projects often fail because companies skip a strategic roadmap, turning implementation into a costly trap. He recommends allocating just 1‑2% of the budget to a thorough assessment, which can mitigate up...
How Iran Blocking the Strait of Hormuz Affects the U.S.
Iran’s recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints, prompting a sharp rise in global crude prices. While the United States sources only a modest fraction of its oil from the...
Dermalogica Deploys Corvus Robotics Inventory System
Dermalogica, the professional skincare brand, has installed Corvus Robotics’ Corvus One aerial inventory drones at its Carson, California distribution center. The AI‑driven system autonomously scans the warehouse 52 times a year, a 600 % rise over the previous manual cycle‑count process...
FORTNA Offers OptiSweep to Automate Sortation
FORTNA introduced OptiSweep, an automated sorter close‑out solution that pairs its proprietary software with Geek+ autonomous mobile robots. The system retrieves orders from sorter divert points and delivers them to goods‑to‑person stations, handling 4,000‑34,000 units per hour. By replacing manual...
How Chainway Help Solves RFID Linen Management at Marriott: RFID Journal Case Study
Marriott International deployed Chainway’s MC51 UHF handheld as part of an RFID Linen Management System, embedding washable tags in sheets, towels and robes. The solution automates inbound receipt, housekeeping issuance, and outbound handover through bulk scanning at key checkpoints. MC51’s...
MEDLOG and CMLOG Expand Cold Storage Capacity in China
MEDLOG, the logistics arm of MSC Group, and China Master Logistics (CMLOG) have launched a joint venture operating five cold‑storage facilities in Shanghai, Tianjin and Ningbo, announced on 11 March 2026. The new Shanghai site in Lingang Free‑Trade Zone adds roughly 80,000 tonnes...
When It Comes To Energy Dependence On Other Countries, Americans Have An Easy Choice
The post argues that the United States should prioritize domestic oil and gas, especially Canadian supplies, over reliance on China for energy security. It highlights how Middle‑East conflicts, such as the recent Iran war, make imported crude volatile. The author...
RCL Terminates Voyages for Three Additional Vessels
Regional Container Lines (RCL) announced an immediate End of Voyage for three vessels—Mv SM MAHI, Zhong Gu Chong Qing, and Zhong Gu Tai Yuan—citing the heightened escalation of war in the Middle East. The ships will discharge cargo at intermediary...
Carrier Leaders on Navigating the Freight Downcycle
Truckload 2026 panelists warned that fleet size alone no longer guarantees profit in the three‑year freight downcycle. Executives from Knight‑Swift, Hill Brothers, Cargo Transporters and Bison Transport highlighted earnings per mile, cost efficiency and driver productivity as the new success metrics. Companies are...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “Savings Tops the CPO Priority List (Again)”
Andrew Bartolini, founder and chief research officer at Ardent Partners, has launched a new 45‑second video series called “Procurement 2026: Big Trends and Predictions.” The inaugural video, “Savings Tops the CPO Priority List (Again),” underscores bottom‑line savings as the leading metric...
Flatbed Spot Rates Keep Climbing, Reaching Strongest Week Since 2022
Flatbed spot rates surged to their strongest level since October 2022, rising more than 5 cents per mile and pushing weekly volumes up 5.3%, the highest since May 2022. While dry‑van and refrigerated segments posted modest week‑over‑week declines, their rates...
OM in the News: The Robotics Supply Chain
Industry Week highlights that the next two decades of robotics will be defined less by software breakthroughs than by the physical components that power machines. Cost analysis shows actuators and gearboxes consume 35‑40% of a robot’s bill of materials, followed...
Hapag Lloyd Suspends Dangerous Goods Bookings for Red Sea
German carrier Hapag‑Lloyd announced an immediate suspension of all dangerous‑goods bookings for three key Red Sea ports—Sokhna in Egypt, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Aqaba in Jordan. The halt applies to both import and export shipments and will remain in...
CMA CGM Reopens Export and Import Bookings for Middle East
CMA CGM has lifted the March 3 suspension and reopened both export and import bookings for Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The carrier is routing cargo through a mix of land bridges and feeder services,...
Explainer: How Iran Turned Hormuz Into a Geopolitical Checkpoint
Iran has systematically transformed the Strait of Hormuz into a de‑facto geopolitical checkpoint, deploying naval mines, missile batteries and heightened patrols to control one of the world’s most vital oil arteries. The move coincides with escalating regional tensions and a...
Transworld Shipping Lines Reports Loss for Q3 Amid Aging Fleet Challenges
Transworld Shipping Lines posted a Rs 25 crore net loss for Q3 2025, a sharp reversal from a Rs 15 crore profit a year earlier. Revenue slipped to Rs 132 crore and EBITDA collapsed to Rs 8 crore as four of its twelve vessels near the end of...
Brunswick Harbor Dredging Advances to Restore Channel Depth
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun maintenance dredging in Brunswick’s inner and outer harbor to restore the channel to its federally authorized depth. Funded by $11.35 million in federal money and $6 million from the state, the work is slated...
Micro-Hubs & Spokes, Hand Carts, & U Boats: Human Logistics | At the Junction
The article examines Manhattan’s emerging micro‑hub and spoke delivery system, where trucks park at neighborhood focal points and workers complete last‑mile drops on foot using hand carts. This model sidesteps the need for costly local warehousing or autonomous robots by...
The Evolution of Transportation Management: Increased Efficiency by Smart Automation
Transportation management systems have evolved from simple routing tools into dynamic, real‑time execution platforms that integrate telematics, weather, customs, and carbon data. Descartes’ network now connects over 200,000 firms and adds 2,000 carriers each month, enabling rapid onboarding and reducing...
The Panama Canal Power Struggle
Panama's Supreme Court declared CK Hutchison's concessions for the Balboa and Cristóbal ports unconstitutional, prompting the government to cancel the contracts and seize control. The move disrupts a previously announced $23 billion deal that would have transferred the terminals to BlackRock...
UK and Australia Explore Steel Cooperation for AUKUS
The United Kingdom and Australia are assessing how their steel sectors can jointly support the AUKUS submarine programme, following the first UK‑Australia Defence Industry Dialogue since 2018. Defence Minister Luke Pollard highlighted that British firms, notably Sheffield Forgemasters, are already...
One Billion Lost Packages
In September 2024 Hurricane Helene flooded Baxter International’s Marion, NC plant, halting 60% of U.S. IV‑fluid output and triggering nationwide shortages. The same month, 85 million U.S. packages arrived damaged—a 30% jump that cost roughly $4 billion. To address the chronic fragmentation...
Explainer: How Global Shipping Is Financing China’s Navy without Knowing It
Global shipping’s reliance on Chinese Tier‑1 shipyards is simultaneously financing the People’s Liberation Army Navy. CSIS data shows these yards produce 40% of China’s commercial tonnage while building virtually every major warship, generating $165 billion in export revenue from 2019‑2024. Freight‑rate...
Rotterdam’s 2025 Container Performance Reveals Structural Trade Shifts
Rotterdam’s 2025 container statistics show a structural reorientation of global trade, with imports rising 3.9% while exports continue to fall, especially to Asia. The export slump has widened the import‑export gap by 1.47 million TEU, increasing empty‑container circulation. Carrier alliance reshuffles...
With No Charterers, Marinakis Outfit Converts 8,800 TEU Quartet to Tankers
Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis’ Capital Maritime & Trading is converting four 8,800‑TEU container ship orders into Suezmax oil tankers after failing to secure charter contracts. The vessels were originally contracted with HD Hyundai Samho in December 2025 at $116.6 million...
APM Terminals Suape Enters Final Construction Phase
APM Terminals Suape has received 28 fully electrified equipment units from SANY, a $47 million investment that pushes the project into its final construction phase. The $350 million terminal, slated to open in the second half of 2026, will initially handle 400,000...
Delivering Storage Containers to Jobsites: Everything You Need to Know
Logistics teams must follow a structured process to get storage containers delivered to construction or industrial job sites, beginning with a thorough site assessment to ensure clear access and a stable surface. Selecting the appropriate container size—ranging from 10 to...
CNC Introduces Emergency Fuel Surcharge for Intra-Asia Shipping
CNC Line announced an Emergency Fuel Surcharge (EFS) for intra‑Asia shipments, effective 16 March 2026. The surcharge is USD 75 per TEU for dry, flat‑rack, open‑top, tank and special equipment containers, and USD 90 for reefers. It covers routes across China, Southeast...
7 AI Roleplay Prompts to Secure a 15% Supplier Discount
A mid-sized Oregon permaculture business used an AI role‑play sandbox to rehearse supplier negotiations and secured a 14.5% discount on bulk inputs. The approach relied on seven tailored prompts that simulated a tough negotiator, forcing the owner to practice under...
Ex-Goldman Commodity King Warns 'No Policy Response Can Meaningfully Reverse Oil Prices'
Jeff Currie, former head of commodity research at Goldman Sachs, warned that the ongoing disruption of the Strait of Hormuz makes oil prices virtually unstoppable in the near term, and no policy response—such as strategic petroleum reserve releases or government...
Defense Industrial Base Consortium Issues New Critical Minerals Request for Project Proposals
On February 27, 2026 the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) released a new Request for Project Proposals (RPP) focused on thirteen strategic and critical minerals, with Phase 1 submissions due March 20. The solicitation follows Executive Order 14241 and aims to diversify U.S....
Chiesi and Bespak Partner to Advance Carbon Minimal Inhaler Production With UK Manufacturing Site
Chiesi Group and inhalation CDMO Bespak have expanded their long‑standing partnership by increasing pressurized metered‑dose inhaler (pMDI) manufacturing capacity at Bespak’s Holmes Chapel, UK site. The move supports Chiesi’s Carbon Minimal Inhaler (CMI) program, which targets up to a 90 %...
NEW WEBINAR: Uniting Intake to Payment to Drive 2026 Performance
Ardent Partners and Zip are hosting a webinar on March 26 to show chief procurement officers how to bridge the intake‑to‑payment gap that hampers spend visibility and speed. The session, led by Andrew Bartolini and Nick Heinzmann, will outline a unified,...
Startup of the Week: SourceReady
SourceReady is an AI‑powered platform that automates three core sourcing tasks—supplier discovery, supply‑chain optimization, and repetitive communication/negotiation. The startup was founded after its CEO realized that traditional directories miss fragmented manufacturer data and that buyers need risk‑aware, compliance‑focused insights. Early...
We Need Exact Purchasing … But It’s NOT a New Matrix!
The article argues that the classic Kraljic matrix is outdated and that procurement must move to an Exact Purchasing approach. Jason Busch’s Exact Purchasing Quadrant maps cost influence against contract‑and‑supply complexity, but the author expands it into a three‑dimensional cube...