Veteran PRPA, Fairview Terminal Executive to Lead Prince Rupert Port
Kurt Slocombe has been promoted to president and chief executive officer of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. He joined PRPA in 2019 as vice‑president of operations, planning and infrastructure, after earlier managing the Fairview Container Terminal since 2007. As head of the authority, Slocombe will steer the completion of a new transload and logistics facility designed to capture a surge in commodity exports. The move also targets the recovery of volume share lost during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
C-Hawk Expands Southeast Asia Manufacturing Capabilities and Capacity with New Malaysia and Vietnam Facilities
C-Hawk Technology announced the opening of two new manufacturing facilities in Southeast Asia—a 200,000‑square‑foot plant in Johor Baru, Malaysia, and a 96,000‑square‑foot site in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Malaysian location expands precision‑plastic production and adds PFA tube‑bending, while the Vietnamese factory...
SSL Announces Opening of Monon Corridor Service; Noland Retires as President (UPDATED, 4/2)
The South Shore Line (SSL) launched an 8‑mile Monon Corridor extension on March 31, 2026, adding three new stations between North Hammond and the Munster/Dyer border. The $945 million design‑build project, supported by a $355 million Federal Transit Administration grant, includes expanded parking, a...
As Oil Shortages Deepen, Wartime Rationing Offers a Guide for Today’s Governments
The U.S.-Iran conflict has shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly eight million barrels of oil per day—about eight percent of global demand—and driving prices sharply higher. In response, the Philippines, South Sudan and Mauritius have declared emergencies or begun...
Williams-Sonoma Isn’t Planning for Tariff Refunds Anytime Soon
Williams‑Sonoma will not factor potential tariff refunds into its fiscal 2026 outlook, despite U.S. Customs developing a system to return duties from the invalidated Trump‑era levies. The retailer’s CFO said guidance assumes existing tariff rates will stay in place or...
Energy Markets Are Tightening. The Supply Chain Impact Is Uneven.
Energy markets are tightening, but the impact on supply chains is uneven and delayed. Transportation contracts, surcharges, and caps cause cost pass‑through to lag weeks or months, while energy‑intensive manufacturers feel pressure immediately. The staggered transmission creates a patchwork of...
BeyondTrucks Deploys AI Agents to Customize Freight Rates
BeyondTrucks unveiled RateAgents, a suite of AI‑driven agents that let carriers set freight rates using plain‑language commands, beginning with a fuel‑surcharge specialist. The technology converts natural language into executable code, sidestepping cumbersome rate tables and costly, inflexible transportation‑management systems. Carriers...
Smaller “Shallow-Bay” Warehouse Space Sees Rising Demand
Demand for shallow‑bay industrial space—buildings under 50,000 square feet with 14‑28 foot clear heights—is accelerating as service‑oriented users and last‑mile distributors seek smaller formats. Vacancy rates for these properties fell 2.5 percentage points below the overall industrial average by early...
Smaller “Shallow-Bay” Warehouse Space Sees Rising Demand
Demand for shallow‑bay industrial space—buildings under 50,000 sq ft with 14‑28 ft clear heights—is accelerating as service‑oriented and last‑mile users seek smaller formats. Vacancy rates for these properties have fallen below the broader industrial average, creating a tight market where rents have risen...
How To Break Up With China
The article outlines a strategic playbook for U.S. firms seeking to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturing and market exposure. It highlights three core steps: mapping critical supply‑chain nodes, building alternative sourcing hubs in Southeast Asia and Mexico, and renegotiating contracts...
Strait of Hormuz Closure Pushes Asia-US Ocean Rates up 29%
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a sharp rise in ocean freight rates on major east‑west lanes. Spot rates from the Far East to the U.S. West Coast jumped 29% since the end of February, while routes...
IMTS 2026 Showcases Foundational Technologies, Enabling Manufacturers To Achieve More, Capitalize on Opportunities
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) returns Sept. 14‑19, 2026 in Chicago, featuring over 1,800 exhibitors across 1.2 million square feet. Attendees representing the $2.95 trillion U.S. manufacturing sector will see new multitasking, hybrid, and 5‑axis machining centers from leaders like Okuma, Index,...
Trump Tariffs Cast Shadow as US-China Trade Shrinks Ahead of Xi Meeting
U.S. trade data released Thursday shows direct commerce with China continuing to shrink, reaching one of the lowest bilateral goods deficits in two decades. The decline follows last year’s tariff escalations, which have deepened economic tensions between the two powers....
21 Air Eyes Larger Boeing 777s to Access Long-Haul Cargo Market
21 Air, the mid‑size cargo carrier that serves DHL Express and Amazon, is preparing to add Boeing 777 freighters to its fleet to tap the long‑haul international market. Owner Jim Crane has installed former Crane Worldwide Logistics chief Keith Winters...
Triumph Foods Readies for $30 Million Expansion in Missouri
Triumph Foods announced a $30 million expansion of its St. Joseph pork processing plant, boosting cold‑storage and shipping capacity. The project will install new equipment and machinery, reinforcing the company’s 20‑year presence in Missouri. Triumph, the city’s second‑largest employer with over...
Amtrak, Union Pacific Settle Sunset Limited Dispute (Updated April 2, 2026)
Amtrak and Union Pacific announced a settlement on April 1, 2026 that ends the Surface Transportation Board’s investigation into the Sunset Limited’s chronic on‑time performance problems. The deal grants Amtrak a five‑mile stretch of UP‑owned track near Avondale, Louisiana, allowing...
India Pushes PNG Expansion to 30 Lakh Connections Amid West Asia Crisis
India is accelerating its piped natural gas (PNG) rollout, targeting 30 lakh new connections across more than 150 high‑priority districts as West Asia tensions strain LPG supplies. The ministries of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs convened a...
UK Accuses Iran of Hormuz ‘Hijack,’ Holding Global Economy Hostage
The United Kingdom accused Iran of hijacking the Strait of Hormuz, effectively holding the global economy hostage as Iranian attacks have halted almost all commercial traffic. Over 40 nations gathered virtually to discuss diplomatic pathways for reopening the waterway, emphasizing...
How AI Is Changing Food Supply Chains
Food manufacturers are turning to AI to overcome pandemic‑induced supply chain volatility, especially for perishable goods. CookUnity, a chef‑to‑consumer meal subscription service, now uses AI to lift its sales‑forecast accuracy from roughly 55% to 80‑90%, enabling precise, temperature‑controlled deliveries. The...
Russia Bans Gasoline Exports as More Refineries Hit
Russia announced a full ban on gasoline exports from April 2 through July 31, expanding earlier limits to include all producers, including refineries. The decision follows a string of refinery outages that have shaved roughly 10% off domestic fuel output. By halting...
DP World Issuing £36M Contract to Construct London Gateway Automated System
DP World has launched a £36 million (≈$46 million) tender to build Boxbay, a high‑bay automated storage system for empty containers at its London Gateway terminal. The 55‑metre‑tall structure will cover roughly 323 m × 159 m, requiring over 5,000 precast piles, 15,000 tonnes of steel and...
Logistics Viewpoints Relaunched: What You’ll Notice & Why It Matters
Logistics Viewpoints has relaunched as a more structured, analyst‑led platform that organizes content around six core supply‑chain domains rather than a chronological feed. The redesign embeds AI insights across transportation, warehousing, planning, global trade, digital infrastructure, and risk, emphasizing data...
Fincantieri, Fraser, Donjon Form Great Lakes Shipbuilding Alliance
Fincantieri Marine Group, Fraser Shipyards and Donjon Marine have formed a Great Lakes shipbuilding alliance to pursue a U.S. Coast Guard contract for seven new light icebreakers. The partnership leverages Fincantieri’s three regional shipyards and invites additional Great Lakes firms...
Mercedes-Benz Sets $4B Investment in Plant Served by Norfolk Southern
Mercedes-Benz announced a $4 billion investment to expand its Vance, Alabama plant by 2030, marking the site’s 5 million‑vehicle production milestone since 1997. The facility assembles a mix of GLE, GLS, AMG, Maybach, and all‑electric EQ models, with 60% of output destined...
Iran Drafts Protocol with Oman for Strait of Hormuz Traffic
Iran’s deputy foreign minister confirmed a draft protocol with Oman to monitor traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing safety rather than restrictions. The agreement, described as post‑war housekeeping, includes plans to levy tolls on transiting vessels. Tehran frames the...
New Zealand Rethinks LNG Imports Amid War-Driven Prices
New Zealand’s newly appointed energy minister has publicly questioned the viability of the country’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. The skepticism comes as the war in the Middle East has driven global LNG prices to multi‑year highs, making...
Kardex Provides WEG with Improved Warehouse Performance and Small-Parts Inventory via AutoStore System
Kardex installed a high‑density AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system at WEG Electric Corp’s Duluth, Georgia headquarters to address growing small‑parts inventory without expanding the building footprint. The solution includes 14,000 bins, seven R5 robots and three picking ports, all...
Nexperia's China Unit Nears Fully Local Production of Chips: Company Sources
Nexperia’s China unit is on the cusp of achieving fully localized semiconductor manufacturing, according to internal sources. The move will enable the Dutch‑headquartered, Chinese‑owned chipmaker to produce a broader portfolio of chips within mainland China. Local production is expected to...
Marketplace Briefing: Amazon Picks up Speed in Rural America with $4 Billion Delivery Push
Amazon is accelerating its delivery network in rural America, boosting same‑day or next‑day service to 16% of remote customers—a rise from 8% in mid‑2024. The company’s $4 billion logistics push helped it ship more than 13 billion items on same‑day or next‑day...
India Approaches Fertilizer Producers as Iran War Curbs Supplies
India is actively courting major nitrogen and phosphatic fertilizer producers to secure direct imports as the Iran‑related conflict disrupts traditional supply routes. Officials have opened talks with Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Algeria and Egypt, while also seeking urea from China....
Australia Turns to Less-Established Urea Origins
Australia’s urea importers are scrambling for new sources after the Strait of Hormuz closure halted the Gulf region, which normally supplies about two‑thirds of the country’s fertilizer needs. Importers have turned to Egypt and Nigeria, but both face Australian Quarantine...
Exxaro Concludes 9.3mt Coal Sale with Eskom
Exxaro Resources signed a long‑term agreement with South Africa's power utility Eskom to supply 9.3 million tonnes of coal each year to the Matla power station. The coal will come from Exxaro's Matla Colliery, which recently completed a R5.2 bn (≈ $275 m) expansion...
Singapore Bunker Supply Continues to Run Down as Middle East War Drags On
Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, sold 56.2 million metric tons of bunker fuel in 2025, a 3.2% increase year‑over‑year. Over half of its fuel imports travel through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since the Middle East...
CTG to Debut Project GLORIA at MODEX 2026, Bringing Proven AI-Powered Operational Intelligence to Supply Chains and Beyond
CTG, a Cegeka Group company, will unveil Project GLORIA at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, an air‑gapped AI platform that delivers role‑specific operational insights without using public cloud services. The solution, proven in a large food‑and‑beverage warehouse, transforms fragmented data and...
Sysco’s Bid for Restaurant Depot: Distribution Control Is Shifting
Sysco has announced a $29.1 billion bid to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot, merging its delivery‑centric network with Depot’s cash‑and‑carry warehouse model. The combined platform would serve over 700,000 independent operators through mixed pick‑up and delivery options, targeting roughly $250 million in annual...
SANY Robotics Debuts Electric Forklift Lineup at LogiMAT 2026, Secures Over 600 Orders in Europe
SANY Robotics unveiled its full electric forklift lineup at LogiMAT 2026 in Stuttgart, marking its first European market entry. The showcase featured a three‑wheel lithium‑ion counterbalance model for narrow aisles and cold storage, plus the Blue Electric Forklift Fleet with...
IAutomation Expands Automation Solutions with Festo Across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast
iAutomation announced it has become an authorized reseller of Festo’s pneumatic and electric automation products throughout the Mid‑Atlantic and Southeast United States. The partnership adds Festo’s high‑performance components to iAutomation’s portfolio, enabling the distributor to offer expanded engineering, panel‑building, and...
6K Additive Awarded US$1.95M by Defense Logistics Agency
6K Additive, Inc. secured a Phase II contract worth US$1.95 million from the Defense Logistics Agency, launching an 18‑month program to upcycle domestic military scrap into high‑value metal powders. The initiative, “Recovering Strategic Value,” will convert nickel, titanium, tungsten and niobium from...
When Platform Migrations Force Bigger Questions: Rethinking Your Procure-to-Pay Strategy
SAP’s Next‑Gen Ariba platform is rolling out this quarter, bringing AI‑driven spend management, a refreshed user experience, and SAP Business Technology Platform extensions. The migration is not a simple upgrade; it demands extensive configuration, parallel system operation, and widespread user...
Volvo Trucks' $1.2B North American Investment: Navigating Tariffs, EPA 2027, and the Prebuy
Volvo Trucks North America announced a $1.2 billion investment, allocating $500 million to expand its New River Valley plant and $700 million for a new facility in Monterrey, Mexico. The spend aims to shield the company from cross‑border tariffs and prepare for the...
Inside Reju’s €400m Recycling Blueprint
Reju has secured a €135 million (≈ $147 million) Dutch state grant for its polyester regeneration hub, a project with a total capital outlay estimated between €350 million and €400 million (≈ $382‑$436 million). The hub, to be built at Chemelot Industrial Park, aims for a final...
World Fuel, West Coast Clean Fuels Launch US Methanol Bunkering Service
World Fuel Services and West Coast Clean Fuels have launched a U.S.‑wide methanol bunkering capability after a successful pilot in South Florida. The service uses Coast Guard‑approved procedures, trained crews and purpose‑built equipment to deliver methanol directly from trucks to...
Hormuz Disruption Roils African Oil Markets, Economies
A prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is set to severely disrupt oil flows to and from sub‑Saharan Africa, threatening export revenues and import costs across the region. The bottleneck pushes global freight rates higher and forces African refiners...
Truckload Rates Climb for Fourth Straight Month Despite Weak Volumes, Notes U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index-Rates Edition
The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index‑Rates Edition shows truckload pricing climbing for a fourth consecutive month. February spot rates rose 3.6% from January while contract rates edged up only 0.1%, pushing spot linehaul to $2.01 per mile, up from $1.65 in...
The Conflict Is Disrupting More than Just Energy Flows, What Do Investors Need to Watch For?
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking the flow of more than 20% of global oil, 25% of LNG and a suite of critical industrial inputs such as phosphate fertilizer, sulfur and urea. These constraints are creating a...
Japan-N Europe Service Start Reinforces CMA CGM Standalone Aim
CMA CGM inaugurated its standalone weekly Japan‑North Europe Ocean Rise service on 2 April 2026, marked by the arrival of the 8,000‑teu CMA CGM Tosca in Kobe. The route, designed for Japan’s exporters, will eventually operate 14 vessels averaging 9,000 teu, offering transit times of 38 days...
China Inland Waterways Set for Zero-Carbon Push Under New Partnership
Wah Kwong NatPower and Huzhou Wuxing Ruituo Energy have signed an MOU to build zero‑carbon inland shipping corridors in China, starting with the Hangzhou‑Jiaxing‑Huzhou stretch of Zhejiang province. The partnership will install electric vessel charging stations and battery‑swap facilities, linked...
How Trump’s War in Iran Is Scrambling Pharma’s Shipping Options
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have tightened the Strait of Hormuz blockade, cutting off a key east‑west artery that handles roughly 10% of global pharmaceutical shipments. Temperature‑controlled ingredients, which make up about 20% of those flows, are especially vulnerable,...
Amazon to Apply 3.5% Fuel and Logistics Surcharge on Fulfillment
Amazon announced a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services, effective April 17 for U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and expanding on May 2 to Buy with Prime and Multi‑Channel Fulfillment. The charge translates to roughly...
Cotton Yarn Prices Surge in Tirupur Amid Global Market Pressures
Cotton yarn prices in Tirupur jumped Rs 10‑12 per kilogram (US$0.11‑0.13) on the first day of the new fiscal year, extending a series of hikes of Rs 7 per kilogram in February and March. The price of a candy (356 kg) of cotton...
