Hartman Seatrade Adds Two Liebherr LS 250 Ship Cranes
Hartman Seatrade is equipping its newest vessels with two Liebherr LS 250 ship cranes, each capable of lifting 250 tonnes and reaching 36 metres. In tandem mode the pair can handle lifts up to 500 tonnes, expanding the fleet’s heavy‑lift and project‑cargo capabilities. The cranes feature a lightweight 150‑tonne deadweight and a modular Litronic control system that delivers real‑time data and automatic load adjustments. Vessel construction is progressing in Szczecin, with final outfitting in the Netherlands and critical installations in Rostock, scheduled for delivery between 2027 and early 2028.
Michel Bechtel Appointed as New Port Commissioner for Port Houston
Michel Bechtel, former mayor of Morgan’s Point, has been appointed to the Port of Houston Authority Commission, succeeding Stephen H. DonCarlos after a 12‑year tenure. He joins the board with a portfolio that spans energy, coastal protection, and maritime governance....
Indian Register of Shipping Earns USCG Similarly Qualified Organization Status
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has been granted the U.S. Coast Guard’s Similarly Qualified Organization status under Title 46, placing it among only three classification societies authorized to serve the U.S. commercial fishing sector. The designation follows a four‑year technical review...
Power2X Acquires HyCC to Boost Clean Molecule Projects
Power2X announced the acquisition of Dutch green‑hydrogen developer HyCC, expanding its clean‑molecule portfolio across the Netherlands and north‑western Europe. The deal brings HyCC’s projects in Amsterdam, Delfzijl and Rotterdam under Power2X’s umbrella, adding scale, capital and industrial expertise. Power2X expects...
Implementing the Strategic Sourcing Strategy
The article outlines how to move a strategic sourcing plan from theory to market execution, emphasizing that implementation validates the insights from spend analysis, category profiling, and other diagnostics. It describes four primary engagement methods—direct negotiation, outsourcing versus in‑house production,...
Fujio Cho on Standardized Work: The Foundation for Improvement, Not Control
Fujio Cho emphasized that standardized work is a learning tool, not a control mechanism. He argued that a shared, current‑best‑practice baseline makes problems visible and enables continuous improvement. When leaders treat standards as compliance checks, employees hide issues; instead, leaders...
Swisslog to Debut AgileStore Pallet Shuttle Storage System
Swisslog announced AgileStore, a four‑way roaming pallet shuttle, to debut at MODEX 2026. The system moves forward, backward, laterally and vertically, allowing cross‑aisle travel and level changes without extra lifts. AgileStore’s modular design promises higher density storage, dynamic routing and...
Accreditation Places OryxAlign on Tier-One Assurance Platform
OryxAlign has secured the BuildingConfidence Gold accreditation from Achilles, a tier‑one supplier assurance platform used by major construction contractors. The Gold status, awarded in January, applies across the company’s UK operations and signals compliance with rigorous governance, compliance, and operational...
Manufacturing Industry Forecast 2.9% Growth in 2026 As Asia Leads The Way
Interact Analysis projects global manufacturing output to grow 2.9% in 2026, up from 2.0% in 2025, with an average annual rate of 3.1% through 2030. Asia emerges as the strongest region, delivering 3.2% growth and a $30.1 trillion output, while India...
Numina Group Launches Batchbot 2.0 with Upgraded Software
Numina Group unveiled Batchbot 2.0, a modular warehouse automation platform that fuses its Real‑time Distribution Software (RDS‑WES) with KUKA’s fifth‑generation AI‑infused autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and a voice‑guided picking suite. The system claims to eliminate more than 20 minutes of...
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Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Feb 25, 2026] Mesh Feigenbaum on Global Industrial Capacity
Mesh Feigenbaum, a leading forging‑press expert, released an updated benchmark revealing that global capacity for massive aerospace and defense forging presses is shrinking as aging equipment retires faster than replacements arrive. The study warns that unplanned press failures can stall...
ProcureTech Pulse — February 25, 2026
The Supply Chain Intelligence Platform (SCIP) launched Optimize and Assure, new decision‑intelligence tools that help enterprises prioritize, validate and defend supply‑chain choices amid rising volatility. Celonis partnered with LeafLabs to deliver a Robotic Systems Intelligence Manager, enabling AI‑driven robots to...
Introducing the ProcureTech Insider: A New Art of Procurement Podcast
Art of Procurement has launched the ProcureTech Insider, a new podcast series aimed at demystifying procurement technology. The show targets CPOs and digital leaders who are overwhelmed by rapid AI‑driven platform growth and need practical guidance. In its inaugural episode,...
Explainer: How Supreme Court Ruling Upends Regional Shipping Order
Panama’s Supreme Court has terminated the nearly 30‑year concession that gave Hong Kong‑based CK Hutchison control of two strategic ports on the Panama Canal. The decision clears the way for Danish carrier A.P. Møller‑Maersk to take over operations at the terminals,...
Freightos Weekly Update: Uncertainty Surges Again as SCOTUS Decides and Trump Responds
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, prompting President Trump to issue an executive order that imposes a 10% global tariff under Section 122, with a possible...
Ratcheting up the Economic Coercion on Japan; Mixed Holiday Economic Data; Germany's Merz Arrives in Beijing; US-China; AI; Political Education...
China’s Ministry of Commerce escalated economic pressure on Japan by adding 20 Japanese firms to its export control list and another 20 to a watch list, targeting dual‑use items. Foreign Minister Wang Yi intensified rhetoric, accusing Japan of harboring ambitions...
Could Canada and Australia Form a Critical Minerals Supergroup? – by Ian Verrender (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – February 24, 2026)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to address the Australian Parliament, signalling a push toward a Canada‑Australia critical minerals partnership. His recent World Economic Forum speech urged medium powers to forge new alliances, a message that provoked a sharp...
Oversupply and Military Threats Cast Shadow on Shipping’s Return
The container shipping sector is poised at a critical juncture in February 2026 as vessels tentatively resume the Red Sea corridor amid lingering military threats. At the same time, a deep structural oversupply of container ships is squeezing already fragile...
Neptune Updates Ancillary Surcharges
Neptune announced a revised ancillary surcharge schedule for Australian terminal and third‑party services, effective 25 March 2025. The new fees include AU$550 per unit for late receival, AU$350 for PONDUS weight amendments, and AU$150 per change‑of‑status request. Yard moves will cost AU$250...
Mitsubishi Electric US Announces Structural Reorganization in the US
On February 5, 2026, Mitsubishi Electric US announced a structural reorganization that consolidates Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. (MEAU) and Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America’s (MEAA) operations under Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. (MEUS). The automation business becomes the Industrial Automation Division of...
60,000 Forged Certificates — Only One Man to Blame?
A UK‑based individual forged more than 60,000 authenticity certificates for CFM56 engine components between 2019 and 2023, selling counterfeit parts valued at roughly $9.3 million. The parts entered the global aftermarket and were installed by multiple MROs and airlines without proper...
PIL Gets License to Operate in Saudi Ports
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has issued a unified license that officially recognises PIL as an authorized foreign investor in the Kingdom’s ports. The licence, issued under Maritime Agency Services regulations, is designed to raise operational quality and efficiency while...
Explainer: Why Legal Clarity Could Create Commercial Paralysis
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s emergency tariffs, wiping out roughly $175 billion in duties. While the decision removes a costly tariff burden, it also leaves the maritime sector with unresolved refund mechanisms and a patchwork of competing...
AD Ports Breaks Ground on Khalifa Port LPG Terminal
AD Ports Group and Nimex Terminals have broken ground on the UAE’s first private‑sector LPG terminal at Khalifa Port. Phase 1 will feature two full‑containment refrigerated tanks—50,000 cbm of propane and 67,000 cbm of butane—plus four mounded bullet tanks totaling 21,000 cbm, with Phase 2...
Grangemouth Port Acquires New Cranes
Port of Grangemouth has completed a structural upgrade of two Liebherr ship‑to‑shore gantry cranes originally installed in 2006. The refurbishment extends their operational lifespan, offering a cost‑effective alternative to full replacement while keeping the terminal’s annual throughput of over 250,000...
ONE Expands Belawan Service
Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced the extension of its Belawan Service 1 (BMX) to include Kuala Tanjung in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The new rotation—Singapore‑Belawan‑Kuala Tanjung‑Singapore—will commence with MV Sinar Sunda’s arrival on March 9, 2026. By linking Kuala Tanjung directly...
The Reconfiguration of Mexico’s Supply Chains
Mexico’s exports to the United States reached record levels last week, yet the country’s trade surplus with its northern neighbor contracted. Analysts attribute the paradox to a strategic reconfiguration of Mexican supply chains, increasingly funneling production toward the U.S. market...
Apple to Start Assembling Mac Mini in the United States This Year
Apple will begin assembling the Mac mini in the United States in 2026, a notable shift for a product that makes up about five percent of global Mac sales. The 2024 redesign introduced the first major update since 2010, pairing...
Here’s Why Demand for Macs Has Spiked
Apple’s Mac lineup is experiencing unprecedented demand, pushing US lead times to two‑four weeks, the longest in years. The Mac Studio now has a 27‑day wait, followed by the M4‑powered MacBook Pro at 23 days and the Mac Mini at...
Supply Chain Execution: Strategies for SMBs
Supply chain execution (SCE) solutions are essential for SMBs to coordinate order, inventory, warehouse, and transportation processes in real time. Integrated platforms such as OMS, WMS, and TMS enable cost reductions, faster deliveries, and better demand forecasting. The article highlights...
DHL Supply Chain Completes 1B Picks with Locus Robotics
Logistics giant DHL Supply Chain announced it has completed one billion picks using Locus Robotics’ autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) across more than 40 global sites. The deployment, which began in 2017, has delivered 30%‑180% higher pick rates and an 80%...
CN Index Remains in High Pressure Territory as Market Gradually Cools
The CN Index slipped to 512 this week, keeping global container shipping in the high‑pressure zone while showing incremental easing. Freight rates on major Asia‑US and Asia‑Europe corridors fell, reflecting improved capacity and a more balanced demand environment. Geopolitical tensions,...
T.S. Lines to Join China–Thailand NT8 Service
T.S. Lines will join the China‑Thailand NT8 service operated by CNC Line, a CMA CGM subsidiary, beginning next month. The carrier will add one 2,300‑TEU vessel to the loop and market the service as North China‑Thailand Express (NTX). NT8 currently runs...
4colors Research & Partners Secure Funding to Tackle Aircraft Loading with Quantum Computing
A consortium led by 4colors Research, together with Airbus, DNV, NQCC and ORCA Computing, has received an NQCC SparQ grant to develop a hybrid classical‑quantum solution for aircraft cargo loading. The project, titled “Quantum‑Accelerated Mixed‑Integer Optimisation for Aircraft Loading,” will...
Unity Line Launches Russia Far East Service
Unity Line, a carrier believed to be Russian, has launched a new container service linking China and South Korea with Russia’s Far East. The route uses a single 860 TEU vessel operating on a fortnightly schedule and calls at Busan, Shanghai,...
The Druzhba Pipeline: Europe’s Soviet-Era Oil Artery in the Crossfire of War and Sanctions
On 27 January 2026 a Russian Shahed drone struck Ukraine’s Brody pumping station, shutting the Druzhba pipeline’s southern branch that supplies Russian Urals crude to Hungary and Slovakia. The outage, now in its 27th day, has cut 60‑70 % of feedstock for MOL...
Aveva Buys First Green Jet Fuel Certificates Five Years Early
Aveva announced it has completed its first major purchase of sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFcs) five years ahead of its World Economic Forum First Movers Coalition commitment. The certificates were bought from British Airways, which sources the fuel from renewable...
Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Secures Iodine Collaboration with Bayer
Voyageur Pharmaceuticals announced a milestone‑based collaboration with Bayer that could provide up to US$2.35 million to fund an iodine extraction feasibility study in Oklahoma. The agreement releases $350,000 at signing, $1 million when the study starts, and another $1 million upon its completion,...
ZIM Revises Levant Black Sea Express Service Rotation
ZIM announced a restructuring of its Levant Black Sea Express (LBX) service, shifting to a fortnightly sailing schedule. The carrier removed Piraeus from the rotation and added Varna, Bulgaria, creating a new loop of Ashdod, Haifa, Constanta and Varna. The...
European Dominance in Global Container Shipping Market
European container carriers now control 55.5% of capacity among the top 30 operators, according to Alphaliner’s latest data for week 08 of 2026. This share eclipses the combined 38.6% held by carriers based in Asia and the Middle East. The...
Armenia’s Not Getting Off the Struggle Bus Just Yet
Armenia’s aging Soviet‑era nuclear reactor leaves the country on the brink of an energy crisis, and Moscow’s dwindling support after the Ukraine war has removed its traditional security backstop. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance recently signed a nuclear cooperation deal...
Labour MP Warns UK Exposed to Subsea Cable Threat
Labour MP Graeme Downie warned that the UK is dangerously exposed to disruption of its undersea cable network. He cited the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, noting that about 98% of internet traffic travels through these cables, making...
Leanshoring: Winning with Customers by Bringing the Business Closer
Global supply‑chain shocks and tariff volatility are prompting U.S. firms to reconsider offshoring. Jim Womack’s "leanshoring" model combines lean manufacturing with reshoring, demanding a full‑cost analysis that accounts for risk, intellectual property and skill loss. GE Appliances illustrates the approach,...
US Supreme Court Voids Trump Tariffs as Ports Warn of Uncertainty
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6‑3 that President Trump exceeded his authority by imposing global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, effectively nullifying those duties. Trump immediately announced a new 10% worldwide tariff using a different statutory basis,...
Readers Speak: Hapag-Lloyd’s ZIM Deal Seen as Strategic Boost
Industry readers view Hapag‑Lloyd’s potential acquisition of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services as a strategic upgrade rather than mere consolidation. The deal would blend Hapag‑Lloyd’s global scale with ZIM’s strong Transpacific and niche trade exposure, enhancing network depth and fleet flexibility....
The 2026 M&A Rebound: Why Logistics Is Primed for a Banner Year with Logisyn’s CEO Ron Lentz
Logisyn Advisors’ CEO Ron Lentz warns that a $4 trillion pool of private‑equity dry‑powder is set to spark a wave of logistics M&A in 2026. He argues that specialist, operator‑led advisors outperform generalist banks by preserving the unique value of logistics...
Emerson Redefines Scalable Reliability with AI-Driven APM
Emerson’s Aspen Technology unveiled the latest version of its Mtell asset performance management platform on Jan. 22, adding AI-driven capabilities that extend from basic health monitoring to predictive failure analytics. The upgrade features industry‑specific templates, AI‑powered alert grouping, direct integration with...
Winning 2026: The CPO 45-Second Briefing – “Permanent Beta Mode”
Andrew Bartolini, founder of Ardent Partners, launches a new 45‑second video series titled “Procurement 2026: Big Trends and Predictions.” The inaugural episode, called “Permanent Beta Mode,” highlights the growing overlap between procurement and supply chain functions. The series will unpack 33...
Cargo Elevator System Using XG5000 PLC Programming
The XG5000 PLC program implements a three‑floor cargo elevator that moves one floor at a time using up and down push‑buttons. Limit‑switch sensors on each floor provide position feedback, while a latched SYSTEM_ON memory bit keeps the controller active after...
Sawmill Systems Test Assets Intangibly
Comact has deployed Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Logix Echo to emulate 48 ControlLogix 5580 processors, expanding its testing capacity far beyond the limits of physical hardware. The virtual environment costs roughly one‑tenth of traditional PLC racks, delivering a scalable, cost‑effective platform for sawmill...