Air Europa Cargo Renews with WFS in Madrid and Barcelona
Air Europa Cargo has signed a five‑year renewal with ground handler Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) for its cargo operations at Madrid and Barcelona airports. The agreement builds on a partnership that began in Madrid in 2018 and in Barcelona in 2021, covering up to 350 weekly flights from Madrid and more than 25 flights from Barcelona. WFS will continue to manage Air Europa’s cargo through its extensive warehouse network—five facilities in Madrid totaling 17,000 sq m and a 12,000 sq m hub in Barcelona. Both companies say the deal supports Air Europa’s growth strategy and WFS’s expansion plans in Spain.
French Navy Orders Five Additional CAMCOPTER UAVs From Schiebel
The French Navy has placed a follow‑on order for five additional CAMCOPTER S‑100 unmanned air vehicles from Austrian manufacturer Schiebel. Each new system includes two VTOL UAVs, bringing the navy’s total to eight S‑100 installations once deliveries, scheduled to begin...
11% of Russian Freight Wagons Unusable Amid Maintenance Crisis
As of March 2026, 11% of Russia's freight wagons—about 158,000 units—are out of service, nearly double the figure from mid‑2025. A steep 70% drop in wagon rental rates has slashed operator revenues, curbing maintenance spending and driving monthly repairs down...
Oil Spill Forces Partial Shipping Halt at Port of Antwerp
An oil spill during a bunkering operation at the Deurganckdock in Belgium’s Port of Antwerp has forced a partial halt to shipping traffic. The spill spread into the Scheldt River, prompting authorities to contain the source while assessing the situation....
Tesla Reportedly Adds Sunwoda as Additional Battery Cell Supplier
Tesla has added Chinese battery maker Sunwoda as its fifth supplier of traction‑battery cells, joining CATL, Panasonic, LG Energy Solution and BYD. Sunwoda’s third‑generation LFP cells, capable of 3C charging, are already being used in vehicles built at Tesla’s Shanghai...
UK Start-Up to Supply Interceptor Missiles to UK Military and Gulf Partners
Defence Secretary John Healey announced that Cambridge Aerospace will supply its new Skyhammer interceptor missiles and launchers to the UK Armed Forces and Gulf partners, with the first batch arriving in May. The 30‑km, 700 km/h system is designed to neutralise Iranian‑style...
Iran Crisis Highlights Rising Gulf Cybersecurity Risks to Critical Infrastructure
The recent Iran‑U.S. escalation has exposed Gulf states’ critical infrastructure to heightened cyber threats. Ports, energy facilities, desalination plants and financial hubs are now seen as vulnerable to combined kinetic and digital attacks. The United Arab Emirates is integrating cyber...
Same Old Story for Shippers, Asked to Recover From Steep Fuel Surcharges Again
U.S. diesel prices surged to an average $5.64 per gallon in April, up from $3.76 before the U.S.-Israel conflict, pushing fuel costs for truckers and freight carriers higher. The spike inflates per‑mile operating expenses, squeezes carrier margins and fuels broader...
Global Businesses Increasingly Concerned About Geopolitical Impact on Supply Chains – Study
A new Allianz Trade Global Survey shows 65% of exporters now rank geopolitics as their primary business risk, up from 54% a year earlier. Supply‑chain complexity costs have surged to $4.7 trillion, more than double the 2017 figure, driven largely by...
Australia to Underwrite Refiners' Spot Fuel Trades
Australia’s Export Finance Australia (EFA) will underwrite spot‑market fuel and crude oil purchases for refiners Viva Energy and Ampol, reducing financial risk and enabling access to otherwise uncommercial cargoes. The government can direct the additional fuel to regions facing tighter...
Japan to Ease Oil Bottleneck, Ensure Stable Supply
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has launched a task‑force to curb oil‑product bottlenecks, directing major refiners such as Eneos, Idemitsu and Cosmo Oil to supply critical facilities directly. The government mandates that monthly volumes match the same...
Kazakhstan Increases Rail Transport to All Central Asian Countries
Kazakhstan’s rail freight surged 34% in the first quarter of 2026 versus the same period last year, driven by strong export and transit activity along the Middle Corridor. Grain shipments topped 2 million tonnes, up 50%, while ferrous metal exports rose...
The Operations Leader's Guide to Navigating Red Sea Disruption
The Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes have forced vessels to detour around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10‑14 days to transit times and driving up freight rates and surcharges. Capacity has tightened, blank sailings have risen, and supply‑chain...
The Oil Market Faces a Major Reckoning if US-Iran Peace Talks Fail
Oil futures on the NYMEX are trading below $100 per barrel, while spot prices for immediate delivery to Asia and the Middle East sit between $126 and $140. The $30‑$40 premium reflects supply constraints caused by Iran’s restriction of the...
Tanker with Russian Flag Transits Hormuz
A Russian‑flagged VLCC named Arhimeda transited the Strait of Hormuz, one of only four tankers flying Moscow’s colors. The supertanker, built in 2000, headed westward toward Iran’s Kharg Island before listing “for orders,” indicating no fixed next call. Its recent...
New Pentagon Memo Complicates DJI Drone Ban Reversal
The Pentagon released a memo reaffirming its opposition to any reconsideration of the FCC’s “Covered List,” which bars foreign‑made drones and critical components from U.S. sale. The memo cites both classified and unclassified intelligence, including a classified annex submitted to...
Splash Wrap: Fragile Hormuz Ceasefire Fails to Lift Traffic
A tentative U.S.-Iran cease‑fire has not restored traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving vessel movements at a near‑standstill. Meanwhile, Exmar is set to receive the world’s first ammonia‑powered gas carriers, a 46,000 cu m pair built by Hyundai Heavy Industries. Panama...
Kongsberg Signs Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to deliver 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) programme, the company’s biggest waterjet order to date. The six‑ship fleet, being built by Cochin Shipyard, is part of...
Epiroc Wins Large Order From Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia
Swedish equipment maker Epiroc AB landed a roughly $20 million contract with Zambia’s Mopani Copper Mines to supply a fleet of Minetruck haulers and Scooptram loaders for its Nkana and Mufulira underground operations. The order, booked in Q1 2026, includes MT436 and...
Burning Ships, Smoke, and the Limits of Decarbonisation
The article highlights a paradox in maritime emissions accounting: while shipowners painstakingly reconcile fractions of a tonne for EU ETS compliance, large‑scale emissions from conflict‑related ship fires and bombed fuel depots are largely ignored. Recent attacks in the Red Sea,...
Globant and CMPC Launched an AI-Based Supply Chain Traceability Solution Compliant with EU Deforestation Regulation
Globant has deployed an AI‑driven supply‑chain traceability platform for CMPC, a global pulp, paper and packaging leader. Built on SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP Clean Core, the solution automates document extraction and compliance workflows, shrinking manual traceability from up...
How Organisations Can Prepare for the Next Wave of AI and Automation
The article warns that the next wave of automation will be driven by agentic AI and the orchestration of multiple AI models across systems, demanding robust information governance. It stresses that automation success hinges on the quality, accuracy, and lifecycle...
Gloomy Outlook as Railways Come Under Fire
The global railway sector faces a perfect storm of economic stagnation, political resistance to sustainable transport, and direct attacks on infrastructure in conflict zones. In the UK, freight volumes remained flat at 4.2 billion net tonne‑kilometres in Q4 2025, reflecting a lack...
TCL Unveils AI-Powered Manufacturing Facility in China
TCL has launched a $280 million AI‑powered air‑conditioner smart factory in Guangzhou, marking its 100 million‑unit milestone. The 303‑acre complex can produce 8 million units a year, roughly one unit every seven seconds, through three fully automated lights‑out lines. An on‑site AI supercomputing...
Turkiye, Jordan, and Syria Aim to Revive Rail Links
Turkey, Jordan and Syria signed a trilateral memorandum in Amman to revive rail links, focusing on the historic Hejaz Railway and a north‑south logistics corridor. The agreement seeks to harmonise transport regulations, lower transit fees and integrate Mediterranean, Red Sea...
Middle East Producers Gear Up for Hormuz Export Restart
Middle East oil producers are urging Asian refiners to submit loading programmes for April and May as they prepare for a possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran cease‑fire. Saudi Aramco has asked customers to nominate cargoes...
Middle East Producers Gear Up for Hormuz Export Restart
Middle Eastern producers are urging Asian refiners to submit crude loading programmes for April and May as they prepare for a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. A two‑week U.S.-Iran ceasefire raised hopes of resuming shipments, but Tehran has...
Albanese Says Additional Fuel Slated for Regional Areas
The Australian federal government announced a deal with Ampol and Viva Energy, backed by Export Finance Australia, to underwrite additional fuel purchases. The underwriting gives Canberra the authority to direct shipments to regional areas where spot‑market shortages have crippled distributors....
With New Brand Identity, Olectra Greentech Pivots to Integrated Energy and Heavy-Vehicle Logistics
Olectra Greentech, India’s leading electric‑bus maker, has launched a new brand identity to signal its shift from a pure hardware supplier to an integrated provider of electric mobility and energy services. The company aims to expand beyond municipal bus fleets...
Medicine Supply Stable, Stocks Sufficient Until End-June, Says Dzulkefly
Malaysia’s Health Ministry says the nation’s medicine supply will remain stable through the end of June despite the ongoing Middle East conflict. Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted mitigation measures, data sharing between public and private sectors, and continuous industry...
Thenamaris Moves Into Ammonia Shipping Segment
Greek shipowner Thenamaris has placed an order for two 90,000 cu m very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) with China’s Jiangnan Shipyard, with deliveries expected in 2029. The vessels will use low‑resistance hulls optimized for old Panamax dimensions and LPG dual‑fuel engines, targeting...
Asian Maritime Security in Q1 – Fewer Boardings and Sanctions Enforcement
In the first quarter of 2026, maritime incidents across East, South and Southeast Asia fell 40% year‑on‑year, with Singapore Strait boardings dropping 73% after Indonesian Marine Police patrols began. While theft and armed robbery persist, a March knife attack on...
Anthropic Mulls Building Its Own AI Chips
Anthropic is weighing the development of its own AI chips as the industry grapples with a persistent silicon shortage. The move follows a surge in demand for its Claude chatbot, which pushed run‑rate revenue to roughly $30 billion, up from $9 billion...
Japan Confirms Release of More Oil Reserves as Concern over Energy Crisis Grows
Japan announced it will tap roughly 20 days of oil from its strategic reserves in early May, marking the second release since the US‑Israel war on Iran began. The nation holds enough stockpiled crude for about 230 days, yet imports...
The Commodities Feed: Oil Supported by Ongoing Supply Risks
Oil prices extended gains for a second day as Saudi Arabia’s crude‑export capacity fell roughly 600,000 barrels per day after attacks on its energy infrastructure and a strike on the East‑West pipeline cut another 700,000 barrels. Brent hovered around $96...
Great Eastern Clears Out Ageing Tankers
Great Eastern Shipping of India is divesting two older MR product tankers—Jag Prakash (48,000 dwt, built 2007) and Jag Panhki (46,000 dwt, built 2003)—as part of a fleet‑renewal drive. The company now operates 40 vessels, totaling about 3.2 million dwt, after adding a 49,420 dwt...
RxERP Hub Targets Pharma’s Serialization Blind Spots
RxERP unveiled the RxERP Hub, upgrading its serialized platform into a full‑scale infrastructure for the pharmaceutical supply chain. The Hub adds unit‑level audit logging that records every transaction—from receiving to dispensing—creating a real‑time, immutable trail. This turns serialization from a...
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Russian Diplomat: Moscow Will Not Abandon Cuba, Help with Energy
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told a Cuban press conference that Moscow will not abandon its strategic partnership with Cuba, pledging continued energy assistance beyond the recent delivery of 700,000 barrels of oil on the sanctioned tanker Anatoly Kolodkin. He...
Valeo Inaugurates ADAS Camera Production at Sanand
Valeo has inaugurated a high‑definition surround‑view camera production line at its Sanand plant in Gujarat, India. The line will supply advanced driver‑assistance (ADAS) and advanced rider‑assistance (ARAS) vision systems to domestic OEMs. It forms part of a broader Sanand expansion...
China Reminds Battery Makers to Avoid Excess Capacity Growth
China has summoned its leading electric‑vehicle and stationary battery manufacturers for a second time in just over three months, urging them to curb capacity expansion. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other agencies addressed 16 firms, calling for...
Landlocked Switzerland Pushes for Seat at Europe’s Port Alliance Table
Switzerland is lobbying to join the European Union’s port alliance, a security‑focused network of roughly 200 members and 50 ports. The landlocked nation argues that its tight ties to gateways like Antwerp‑Bruges and the Rhine corridor make it a valuable...
DOL Launches New Tools to Strengthen Supply Chains
The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a voluntary suite of self‑assessment tools—LaborShield, ImportWatch, SourcingStrong, and a supply‑chain traceability portal—to help American firms tighten global supply‑chain oversight. The tools are designed to identify labor‑rights violations, flag risky imports, and map sourcing...
India Inc Ramps up Exports as Iran Ceasefire Reopens Middle East Trade
India Inc is rapidly reactivating exports to the Middle East following a two‑week Iran ceasefire that reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Pharma, packaged‑food and electrical‑goods manufacturers report rising demand as regional inventories are restocked and reconstruction projects loom. Companies such...
10 Minutes to Influence U.S. Manufacturing Policy
The Reshoring Initiative and Regions Recruiting have launched a 10‑minute survey aimed at original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers to capture current reshoring and foreign direct investment trends. The questionnaire also probes how upcoming 2025 federal manufacturing policies could influence...
Bulk Carrier Banned From Australia over Unpaid Wages
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) detained the Liberia‑flagged bulk carrier BBG Wuzhou after discovering that its crew had gone unpaid for nearly seven months, with wages totaling tens of thousands of dollars. The inspection also revealed inadequate food, lack of...
Bridging the Digital Divide in Asia-Pacific EPC
Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) firms across Asia‑Pacific are confronting a stark digital divide as record infrastructure spending collides with rising costs, labour shortages and heightened delivery scrutiny. While many have invested in digital tools, IDC data shows one‑third still...
Manufacturing-Led AM Market Reaches $16B in 2025 – Report
Additive Manufacturing (AM) revenues reached $16.0 billion in 2025, marking a 10.2% year‑over‑year rise and outpacing the 8.3% growth recorded in 2024. Metal AM generated $6.27 billion while polymer AM delivered $9.79 billion, together accounting for the bulk of market value. AM services...
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto Could Visit Russia Soon, Kremlin Says
Indonesia’s president Prabowo Subianto is preparing a visit to Russia, where he is expected to meet Vladimir Putin and discuss potential oil purchases. The Kremlin confirmed talks are underway as Asian nations scramble for alternative energy amid a widening Middle‑East‑driven crisis....
Ipswich Highlights Manufacturing Potential in Push to Become Queensland’s Defence Hub
Ipswich City Council is leveraging its 8,000 hectares of available industrial land to position the city as Queensland’s manufacturing and defence hub. The council’s "Space to Grow" prospectus highlights that manufacturing and defence account for about 60% of its $8 bn AUD...
New Bike Tech: Flaanimals, Bikepacking The Life Time Grand Prix, and More MAAP
PeopleForBikes secured a policy win as the Trump administration dropped bicycles, e‑bikes and frames from the 50% Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, ending a year‑and‑a‑half of tariff uncertainty. The advocacy group rallied manufacturers, retailers and riders, generating 1,300 public comments...
