Taiwan Launches National Robotics Center with $629 Million Startup Funding Plan
Taiwan has inaugurated the National Center for AI Robotics (NCAIR) and unveiled a NT$20 billion ($629 million) funding program slated for 2026‑2029. The initiative targets the creation of at least three home‑grown robotics startups and aims to accelerate testing, talent development, and commercialization of robotic solutions. By coupling the new center with a sizable subsidy, the government seeks to deepen Taiwan’s automation capabilities amid an aging population. The move positions the island to climb the value chain beyond its semiconductor strengths.
The SB Podcast: Why Distribution Needs a Shake-Up
Eoin Bara, founder of Tipple, argues that spirits brands must generate demand before chasing distribution. After burning out selling his own Mór Irish Gin, he created Tipple, a digital platform that lets brands sell directly to consumers and businesses while...
TemperPack Launches New Mailer to Replace Boxes for E-Commerce Shippers
TemperPack unveiled a recyclable padded mailer that replaces traditional cardboard boxes for e‑commerce shipments. The mailer uses proprietary WaveKraft® paper‑based material, delivering 50‑80% better cushioning than plastic or standard padded mailers. Its gusseted design opens wide, speeds packing, and meets...
Guidance: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Orders and Calculator
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has refreshed its domestic bulk LPG market orders and the accompanying tank‑transfer price calculator, the latest update issued on 13 April 2026. The orders limit exclusivity periods to two years, require a 42‑day notice to...
Stolen Freight Is Still Moving Through Clean Systems
A $1 million LEGO shipment was recovered in California only after a suspicious‑activity tip, not through any automated verification. The incident mirrors a broader trend where cargo theft slips through normal freight workflows, as seen in Texas with $470,000 of stolen...
EU Businesses Warn China’s New Supply Chain Law Puts Firms on Collision Course with Bloc’s Rules
A EU business lobby, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, has condemned China’s new Regulation 834, which took effect last week. The law gives Chinese authorities sweeping powers to investigate and punish companies or individuals deemed to threaten industrial...
France, UK to Lead Multinational Mission to Restore Navigation in Strait of Hormuz: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the United Kingdom will co‑lead a multinational, strictly defensive mission to restore free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The initiative will convene a conference in the coming days with nations ready...
Asian LNG Imports Plummet to Six-Year Low on Middle East Crisis
Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports have slumped to the lowest level since June 2020, with the 30‑day moving average falling below 600,000 tons. The decline follows the escalation of the Middle East conflict, which has cut roughly 20% of global LNG...
Pakistan Launches Iran Transit Corridor with First Shipment to Central Asia
Pakistan has inaugurated an overland trade corridor through Iran, dispatching its first export—a refrigerated truckload of frozen meat—from Karachi to Tashkent. The road link offers a shorter, faster alternative to traditional maritime routes, promising lower freight costs and reduced handling...
E-Commerce Surge Reshapes Air Cargo Demand as Parcel Volumes Soar
J&T Express processed 8.3 billion parcels in the first quarter of 2026, a 26.2% year‑on‑year increase, with Southeast Asian volumes surging almost 80%. The surge reflects broader global e‑commerce growth that is reshaping air‑cargo demand, especially on Asia‑Pacific and trans‑Pacific routes....
Oil Tankers Steer Clear of Hormuz Ahead of US Blockade
Two Iranian‑linked tankers left the Gulf on Monday, each carrying roughly 330,000 barrels of oil, as the United States announced a blockade of Iranian ports. President Trump said the Navy would enforce the blockade on vessels entering or exiting Iranian...
India’s Manufacturing Giants Are Embracing Agentic AI to Enhance Efficiencies
India’s manufacturing leaders are shifting from traditional automation to an Agentic Enterprise model where AI acts as a strategic teammate, handling decisions such as ordering and supply‑path selection. Executives like Uflex’s CIO emphasize that AI proficiency will become a core...
Listen to the RF Podcast #10 – ‘Rail Players Need New Ways of Communicating’
RailFreight’s tenth RF Podcast, recorded at RailTech Europe 2026, examines the strained communication between rail infrastructure managers and freight operators. Guest Kris Kosmala, a startup mentor at D2XCEL, argues that current collaboration tools are outdated and hinder efficient freight movement. The...
Iran-Linked Tankers Sail Through Hormuz Before US Blockade
Two tankers tied to Iran slipped through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, exiting the Gulf just before the United States initiates a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal facilities. The vessel Auroura was loaded with Iranian oil products, while...
Kornit Digital Brings Global Apparel Leaders Together to Accelerate the Move Towards On-Demand Production
Kornit Digital gathered more than 500 leaders from the global apparel ecosystem at Konnections 2026 in Hollywood, Florida. The three‑day event highlighted the industry’s shift toward real‑time, on‑demand manufacturing and featured the debut of Atlas MATRIX, a platform that prints...
Avianca Cargo Adds Quito-Miami Flights Using Amazon Capacity
Avianca Cargo has added a new Quito‑Miami service, operating five flights per week. The flights use lift capacity provided by Amazon Air Cargo, extending the partnership that began in 2025 with Bogotá‑Miami. The route is aimed at meeting rising demand...
Why Chinese 'Knock-Down' Car Kits Could Spell Catastrophe for Canadian Automakers
Chinese electric‑vehicle makers are eyeing the Canadian market, but industry leaders warn that importing cars as complete knock‑down (CKD) kits could devastate local manufacturing. Auto‑parts chief Flavio Volpe estimates a full‑scale assembly plant generates roughly $2.1 billion USD in economic activity...
How Jabil Uses AI and Robotics to Bolster Its Decarbonization Agenda
Jabil is allocating $500 million in 2025 to revamp its factories with AI and robotics, part of a broader push to slash its carbon footprint. Since 2019, AI‑driven process changes have already cut operational emissions by 47%, positioning the contract manufacturer...
Navoi International Airport Becomes TIACA Member
Navoi International Airport in Uzbekistan has become a member of the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), signaling its ambition to be a leading cargo hub between Europe and Asia. The airport is rapidly gaining recognition for its strategic location and...
Malaysia Faces Energy Emergency Amid Trump’s Hormuz Blockade
Malaysia is confronting an energy emergency after six oil tankers carrying up to 6 million barrels became stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following President Donald Trump's announced blockade. Only one tanker has so far cleared the waterway, and the government...
Lufthansa Cargo Warns of Potential Delays as Pilots Strike
Lufthansa Cargo warned customers on April 13 that a two‑day pilots strike could delay shipments across its network. The strike, involving pilots from Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Airlines and CityLine, is slated to end at midnight on April 14. While flights...
China Urges Restraint over US Blockade of Strait of Hormuz, Backs Talks
China urged calm and restraint after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to block maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following failed peace talks in Islamabad. The U.S. Central Command announced a blockade of Iranian ports would begin Monday, raising...
Fashion and Luxury Airfreight Enters a Post-Peak Era
Fashion and luxury sales are entering a cooling phase, with McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2024 report projecting stagnant retail growth in Europe and the United States through 2026 and only modest gains in China. European fashion growth has slipped to...
European Loc Pool EuroDual Units Receive Balkan Homologation
European Loc Pool (ELP) announced that its EuroDual hybrid locomotives have secured homologation for operation in Slovenia and Croatia, joining Serbia’s 2023 approval. The move expands the geographic footprint of ELP’s fleet along the Adriatic‑Central Europe corridor, linking the ports...
Beyond the Runway
Israel‑based eVTOL maker AIR has delivered the first production version of its heavy‑lift cargo aircraft, a 550‑lb (249 kg) uncrewed platform designed for vertical take‑off and landing. The aircraft, featuring fold‑able wings, advanced electric motors and a larger cargo bay, is...
60 Seconds With… Marco Del Giudice
Marco Del Giudice, founder of the MdG Group, leads a portfolio that spans a Dutch holding, a cloud‑based temperature‑tracking platform, logistics services, consulting, and a training academy. He highlights the ongoing digital transformation of global logistics, driven by AI and...
How the World Food Programme Reaches the Hardest-Hit Communities
The World Food Programme (WFP) relies on aviation to bridge the gap between emergency declaration and aid delivery, especially where roads are unsafe or nonexistent. In 2025, WFP Aviation supported over 680 humanitarian organisations and moved more than 24,400 metric...
Resilience Amid Volatility
Cold chain logistics has shown strong resilience to macroeconomic swings and trade‑policy uncertainty because its cargo—pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biologics—is non‑discretionary. Regulatory temperature‑control requirements create long‑term, high‑switching‑cost relationships that lock clients into stable demand curves. Operators that combine compliance, validated infrastructure...
TSMC: The AI Silicon Shortage Is About To Get Worse
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has become the primary bottleneck in the AI semiconductor supply chain, with its 2 nm and 3 nm production lines fully booked through 2027. The company's advanced‑node and CoWoS packaging capacity are already operating at or above...
War Risk Economics Reshape Air Cargo Pricing
Air cargo rates are climbing as the Iran‑Israel conflict forces airlines to avoid Gulf airspace, lengthening routes and boosting fuel consumption. Carriers are now separating war‑risk premiums, fuel surcharges and insurance costs from base rates, making pricing more layered and...
ERTMS to Be Activated on Rome-Florence High-Speed Line After Weekend Closure
Italy’s Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) completed activation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on the Rome‑Florence high‑speed line after a weekend shutdown. The €147 million (≈$159 million) project, funded partly by EU NRRP money, used a concentrated intervention that cut...
How US Shippers Are Using Air Cargo to Reconfigure Trade Flows and Protect Margins
U.S. importers are increasingly treating air freight as a strategic hedge against tariff volatility, accelerating shipments before duty hikes and diversifying sourcing. The higher cost of air cargo is justified by avoided tariff liabilities, especially for high‑value goods where modest...
Cainiao Scales Cross-Border
Cainiao is rolling out its five‑day international delivery service to 14 countries, marking a shift toward more integrated air logistics for cross‑border e‑commerce. The expansion leverages stronger hub operations in Liège and Hong Kong and deepened airline partnerships, notably with...
Kornit Digital Acquires PrintFactory to Accelerate the Industry’s Transition to Digital, On-Demand Production
Kornit Digital announced the acquisition of Netherlands‑based PrintFactory, a cloud‑native workflow and color‑management software provider. The deal integrates PrintFactory’s automation platform with Kornit’s digital printing hardware, creating an end‑to‑end ecosystem that links demand generation, production workflow, and fulfillment. PrintFactory’s technology...
Cargo-Only Airlines on the Rise in Latin America
Latin America’s air‑cargo landscape is shifting from belly‑hold shipments to dedicated freighters as nearshoring, e‑commerce and new trade lanes boost demand. LATAM Cargo reported moving over one million tonnes in 2025, generating $1.7 billion in revenue and expanding its Europe‑South America...
Russian Rail Freight Might Gain Momentum From Middle East War
Russian rail freight is showing early signs of stabilisation as the Middle East war reshapes logistics demand. March 2026 volumes slipped only 2.1% year‑on‑year, a marked slowdown from the 4% decline in January. Coal shipments posted a modest 0.4% rise,...
Trump’s Blockade Is a Desperate Measure
On April 12, President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that the U.S. Navy would begin a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran stalled. He also warned the fleet would interdict any vessel that had...
Evolution of Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)
The Non‑Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) originated as a freight‑forwarding intermediary that began issuing its own bills of lading in the 1960s and was codified by the US Shipping Act of 1984. Over the decades, regulatory milestones—including OSRA 1998, the introduction...
From AI Insights to AI Action: What’s Changing in Manufacturing
Artificial intelligence is transitioning from pilot projects to core manufacturing operations as firms grapple with supply‑chain disruptions, labor shortages, and margin pressure. AI now not only analyzes data but also takes action, automating workflows and adjusting production in real time....
Building Resilient Communities: How Cooperative Contracting Can Accelerate Emergency Preparedness
Cooperative contracts such as NASPO ValuePoint enable public agencies to procure emergency goods and services in days rather than months, eliminating lengthy solicitations. By pre‑qualifying suppliers for rescue equipment, debris removal, and equipment rentals, agencies can respond swiftly to hurricanes,...
Red Flags as Busiest Asia-US Trade Lane Hits OOCL Results
Orient Overseas Container Line’s parent OOIL reported a 7.6% drop in Q1 2026 liner revenue to $2.14 bn, even as liftings rose 1.7% to 1.997 m TEU. Capacity grew 4.3% year‑on‑year, pushing average revenue per TEU down 9.1%. The trans‑Pacific lane was...
Why Agentic AI Is Emerging as the Next Layer of the Modern TMS
Logistics teams are drowning in repetitive, high‑fatigue tasks such as shipment tracking, invoice reconciliation, and carrier performance monitoring. Shipwell’s new transportation management system (TMS) embeds agentic AI that automates these “invisible” workflows, delivering real‑time alerts and optimization suggestions while keeping...
Why Growing Manufacturers Are Rethinking the Systems Behind Their Operations
Manufacturers are accelerating product launches, e‑commerce expansion, and AI adoption, but legacy spreadsheets and siloed tools are fragmenting data and slowing fulfillment. Modern cloud‑based ERP systems consolidate orders, production, and shipping into a single source of truth, delivering real‑time visibility...
Axiom: Vendor Analysis — Marketplace and Tail Spend Platform Overview, Roadmap, Competitors, User Considerations, Analyst Summary
Axiom, a UK‑based tech firm founded in 2020, launched its enterprise‑grade marketplace and tail‑spend platform publicly in 2023. The solution layers onto existing ERP or source‑to‑pay systems to unify catalog, free‑text, and inventory‑driven purchases into a single managed marketplace. By...
Strategic Intermodal Integration: Efficiency, Visibility and the New Length-of-Haul
Intermodal freight is shedding its reputation as a slow, low‑visibility option as carriers like Werner Enterprises introduce GPS‑tracked containers and proprietary EDGE technology. These advances make regional rail‑truck combos competitive on 600‑ to 1,000‑mile lanes, delivering truck‑plus‑one‑day transit, end‑to‑end visibility,...
Modex 2026 Opens with Full Exhibit Halls and New Technologies
Modex 2026 opened in Atlanta with every exhibit hall sold out, featuring over 1,100 exhibitors and more than 200 education sessions. The show occupies more than 650,000 square feet, allowing attendees to see integrated robotics, AI, automation and software solutions...
Building Resilient Supply Chains in an Era of Constant Disruption
Supply chain volatility has become the new normal for manufacturers, prompting a shift from reactive tactics to proactive resilience. Leading firms are embedding visibility, integrated processes, and cloud‑based technology into the product development lifecycle to anticipate risks before they materialize....
Saudi Arabia's First Mills Deploys AI Agent Platform in Food Production First
Saudi Arabia’s leading flour‑miller First Mills has become the first customer of Glasgow‑based AI startup Kodamai, installing its Kelvingrove platform – the world’s first mathematically verified autonomous‑agent system – across four production sites. The platform uses category theory, type theory and...
Satair Deploys ASRS in Singapore
Satair, an Airbus Services subsidiary, has commissioned an AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) at its Singapore hub, marking the company’s third global deployment after Hamburg and Dulles. The Swisslog‑installed solution packs 23 robots and 60,000 bins into a...
Aligning Manufacturing Support Services with Retail Supply Chain Operations
Retail supply chains have become far more complex as e‑commerce, omnichannel buying and globally distributed sourcing raise delivery expectations. This complexity creates gaps in order accuracy, inventory positioning and fulfillment speed when manufacturing and retail operate in silos. Integrating manufacturing...