Descartes Report Describes Tumultuous Year at U.S. Ports
The 2026 Descartes Datamyne Port Report shows U.S. maritime imports held steady in 2025, with total containerized volume flat at roughly 28.09 million TEUs, a marginal 0.03% decline from the prior year. Trade volatility, driven by fluctuating U.S.-China tariffs that peaked at 145% in April, caused sharp order surges and subsequent lulls. West Coast ports bore the brunt, receiving 47.7% of China‑sourced TEUs, while Gulf and East Coast ports saw lower Chinese shares. New anti‑circumvention rules and fees on China‑built vessels added further complexity to supply‑chain planning.
DRC Copper Exports to US Set to Surge Amid Warnings of Corruption Risk
The Democratic Republic of the Congo plans to export 500,000 metric tons of copper to the United States, a five‑fold increase from its January commitment. The surge aligns with Washington’s push to diversify away from Chinese‑sourced copper, even as the...
Shipping’s Decarbonisation Drive Back on Track, Says IMO
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) says its Net Zero Framework for shipping remains on schedule despite vocal opposition from the United States and major oil‑producing nations. After two weeks of intensive negotiations, senior officials confirmed the decarbonisation plan is still...
Trump Says He Will Raise Tariff on EU Vehicles to 25%
Former President Donald Trump announced he would raise the tariff on European‑made vehicles to 25% if he returns to the White House. The proposal would double the current 10% duty applied to cars from the EU, targeting major manufacturers such...
Why UK Whisky Tariffs Are Being Lifted After A Royal Visit
In April 2025 the United States slapped a 10 percent tariff on British goods, including Scotch whisky, causing a 15 percent export decline and a loss of roughly 12 million bottles. The duty cost the U.K. whisky sector about £4 million ($5.4 million) weekly and hurt...
Op-Ed: The Jones Act Waiver, A Gift to China and NATO’s Iran Onlookers
The Biden administration extended a Jones Act waiver for 90 days, allowing foreign‑flagged vessels to operate in domestic U.S. trades. MARAD data shows most of the fifteen voyages under the waiver were carried out by European allies and four ships...
Samsung Is the Latest Tech Player to Bemoan Memory Chip Crunch. That's Good News for These Stocks
Samsung’s memory division disclosed a record‑low demand‑fulfillment rate as pre‑orders for DRAM and NAND are already being booked through 2027, signaling a widening supply gap. The shortage is hitting AI‑driven capex, which analysts expect could exceed $1 trillion by next year,...
Transportation Safety Board of Canada Continues Quest for PTC-Like System After 2023 Collision of BNSF Trains
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its investigation of the November 19, 2023 BNSF train collision in Delta, British Columbia, where a northbound freight train missed a stop signal and struck a southbound train, derailing multiple cars and spilling roughly 8,000 litres...
Journal of Commerce Top 100 US Importers and Exporters in 2025
The 2026 Journal of Commerce Top 100 US Importers and Exporters list shows combined import volumes slipping 1.1% and export volumes falling 4.5% year‑over‑year. Despite this decline among the largest shippers, total US container imports rose 0.7% to a record 28.16 million TEUs,...
LNG Vessel Finally Transits Strait of Hormuz, Others Moving Toward Waterway
The first fully loaded LNG tanker has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran‑UAE conflict began on Feb. 28. The vessel, named Mubaraz, is chartered by ADNOC and was loaded at the UAE’s 6 million‑ton‑per‑year Das Island export terminal on...
White House Says Iran Hostilities ‘Terminated’ as War Powers Deadline Arrives
The White House announced that hostilities with Iran are considered terminated as the May 1 deadline under the 1973 War Powers Resolution approached. The Trump administration argues the cease‑fire claim exempts it from the legal requirement to seek congressional authorization. Democrats...
A Mark Cuban–Backed Vegan Cheese Company Trained AI to Scrutinize Cardboard Boxes. It’s Saved $400,000
Rebel Cheese, a Mark Cuban‑backed vegan cheese startup, built an autonomous AI agent to audit shipping invoices and inspect cardboard boxes, uncovering overcharges and saving $400,000. The tool cross‑checks each bill against contract rates and flags box bulges as small...
Manufacturing Expands for Fourth Straight Month in April as Prices Surge and Hiring Lags
The Institute for Supply Management reported a PMI of 52.7 for April, matching March and marking the fourth consecutive month of manufacturing expansion. New orders rose to 54.1 while production growth slowed and employment fell to a 46.4 index, extending...
The Guardian View on Britain’s Fragile Systems: When Global Shocks Hit Your Shopping Bill | Editorial
The Bank of England warned that UK food inflation could reach 7% by year‑end, exposing how geopolitical shocks in the Gulf can cascade through energy, fertilizer and supermarket prices. The editorial argues Britain’s tightly‑linked finance, energy, data and food sectors...
Senators Introduce Bill to Enforce Buy America Compliance
Senators Tammy Baldwin (D‑Wis.) and Jim Banks (R‑Ind.) introduced the Build America, Buy America Compliance Act, mandating federal agencies to file annual reports on their adherence to the Build America, Buy America (BABA) provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act....
Trump Is Breaking the Turnberry Deal over Cars. Semiconductors Are Next in Line.
President Trump announced a 25% tariff on EU cars and trucks, up from the 10% rate applied after a February Supreme Court ruling, accusing the bloc of vague non‑compliance with the Turnbird Agreement. The 2025 agreement capped U.S. tariffs on...
NextDecade Will Be Chartering More Ships, Company CEO Says
NextDecade announced it will increase its LNG carrier fleet to handle early output from its Rio Grande project. The company already secured three long‑term charters with Dynagas, with the first vessel delivered from HD Hyundai’s yard in May 2026. Train 1...
Why the Next Big Tech Companies Will Look Like Commodity Traders
The article argues that the next generation of large tech firms will resemble commodity traders, leveraging tokenization to bridge digital finance and physical assets. As AI, clean‑energy, and reindustrialization strain material supplies, traditional financing models are proving too opaque and...
Venezuela Oil Exports Hit 7-Year High as U.S., India, Europe Ramp Up Buying
Venezuela’s oil exports jumped 14% in April to 1.23 million barrels per day, the strongest monthly level since late 2018. The surge was driven by higher shipments to the United States, India and Europe after U.S. sanctions were eased and a...
Maersk Levies Emergency Freight Surcharge on Gulf Routes Amid Hormuz Risks
Maersk announced an emergency freight surcharge for Gulf routes as the Strait of Hormuz remains a security risk. The new fees are $1,800 per 20‑ft container, $3,000 per 40‑ft container and $3,800 for reefers, special or dangerous cargo, and apply...
How Perishable Inventory Visibility Reduces Food Loss and Protects Restaurant Margins
Restaurant operators are grappling with rising labor costs and volatile menus, but hidden margin erosion stems from poor visibility into perishable inventory. Without real‑time data on aging stock, emergency purchases and write‑offs surge, hurting both profitability and guest experience. Implementing...
The Northward Shift: Central Luzon as Philippines Next Industrial Core
Philippines manufacturers are expanding northward as land constraints tighten in the traditional southern hubs of Laguna, Cavite and Batangas. Central Luzon, anchored by Aboitiz Economic Estates’ 384‑hectare TARI Estate in Tarlac, is emerging as the country’s next industrial core, offering...
U.S. Treasury Expands Hormuz ‘Toll’ Warning, Puts Maritime Industry on Notice
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new alert expanding its warning on Iranian “safe passage” toll demands in the Strait of Hormuz. The guidance details how payments—whether cash, digital assets, swaps, or charitable donations—can trigger...
Xeneta: The Worst May Be over After Air Cargo Prices Surge in April
Air‑freight spot rates surged more than 30% year‑on‑year in April, reaching an average $3.34 per kilogram, as the Middle‑East conflict drove up jet fuel costs and forced longer, direct routes. Demand rose 2% while capacity slipped 1%, pushing the dynamic...
TSMC to Invest $56B in Fabs This Year, and It’s Still Not Enough
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a 2024 capital‑expenditure plan of $52‑$56 billion, underscoring a record‑breaking first‑quarter profit surge of 58% and 41% revenue growth. The company’s revenue mix has flipped, with high‑performance computing now contributing 61% versus 26% from smartphones....
Iran’s Threat to the World Economy
Iran has seized effective control of Strait of Hormuz traffic while the United States has responded with a naval blockade aimed at stopping Iranian oil exports. Both sides believe they hold the upper hand, creating a dangerous stalemate that could...
Transpacific Defies Downtrend as Container Spot Rates Climb on War-Driven Demand
Container spot rates on the Shanghai‑Los Angeles lane rose 2% to $2,930 per 40 ft, marking a 34% gain since the Iran conflict began. Far‑East to U.S. west‑coast freight is up roughly 50% overall, while the Shanghai‑New York leg slipped 2% to...
Morrow Begins Battery Cell Deliveries to Proventia as Norwegian Production Scales Up
Norwegian battery maker Morrow Batteries has begun delivering lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells to Finnish industrial‑technology firm Proventia, marking the first shipments under a master supply agreement that runs through 2031. The prismatic LFP cells will be used in Proventia’s off‑highway and...
Gemini Capacity Cutbacks Make India-Med Market Hotter for Rival Carriers
Gemini Cooperation has withdrawn its high‑capacity ME11/IMX loop linking the Middle East, India and the Mediterranean, tightening supply in the India‑Mediterranean trade lane. Spot rates jumped $800‑$1,000 per FEU from late March through April before stabilising. In response, Gemini’s partners...
Could OPEC Lose Its Grip on Oil?
The United Arab Emirates announced its departure from OPEC and the broader OPEC+ alliance, ending a six‑decade partnership that had bolstered the cartel’s credibility. While Saudi Arabia retains the lion’s share of spare capacity and Russia continues to back the...
Trader Mercuria Sues Baltic Exchange Over Hormuz Freight Losses, Court Filing Shows
Swiss‑based commodity trader Mercuria has filed a lawsuit in England’s High Court against the Baltic Exchange, alleging the benchmark TD3C crude‑tanker index remained published despite the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Mercuria claims the unchanged index caused extreme...
US Manufacturing Holds Up as Costs Gauge Hits Four-Year High
The Institute for Supply Management reported that its prices‑paid index jumped to 84.6 in April, a four‑year high, while the overall Manufacturing PMI steadied at 52.7, matching the strongest level since 2022. Input costs surged as the Iran‑Israel conflict and...
Port Houston Lands $48M Federal Grant for Bayport Expansion
Port Houston received a $48 million federal grant from the U.S. Maritime Administration to expand the Bayport Container Terminal. The port will match the grant with about $56 million of its own capital to build a new container yard and an additional...
How to Avoid Supply Chain Issues as Drone and Robot Production Increases Exponentially
Researchers in Chem Circularity project that commercial drone output could grow tenfold and humanoid robot production could surge up to 100 times by the late 2030s. Their analysis of 18 critical raw materials shows most will remain manageable, but rare‑earth neodymium‑praseodymium...
Canada’s FortisBC Completes 10,000th LNG Bunkering
FortisBC Energy announced it has completed its 10,000th liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering for marine vessels since launching the service in 2016. The milestone follows a series of firsts at the Port of Vancouver, including Canada’s inaugural ship‑to‑ship LNG transfer...
UK: Contracts Signed to Reopen Portishead Line
Contracts worth £200 million (≈$254 million) have been signed to rebuild the dormant Portishead railway line, adding two new stations and relaying three miles of track. Lead construction will be handled by Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, with Colas Rail providing digital signalling and AmcoGiffen delivering...
Domestic Demand Lifts Air Canada Cargo Q1 Revenues
Air Canada Cargo’s first‑quarter revenue rose 3.5% to C$259 million (≈$189 million USD), propelled by stronger domestic volumes and newly applied fuel surcharges. International and transborder yields weakened, tempering overall cargo profitability. The airline’s total operating revenue jumped 11% to C$5.8 billion (≈$4.2 billion...
Steady Wins the ROI Race
PrePass released its Mile Marker 2026 index, quantifying the value of consistent weigh‑station bypasses across 40 states. The benchmark, built from 1.6 billion events, shows each bypass saves 7 minutes, half a gallon of fuel and $10.65 in operational costs. A 150‑truck fleet...
Rising Stars: Maddie Dorish, Asset Manager at Boeing
Maddie Dorish, a 24‑year‑old asset manager at Boeing, leveraged a childhood hair‑tie business and a college supply‑chain class into a coveted internship that turned into a full‑time role on the aircraft‑modifications team. In her position she coordinates parts sourcing for...
Wavelength Podcast: Tanker Market Insights as Gulf Conflict Continues and UAE Leaves Opec
The latest Wavelength podcast examines how the tentative Iran‑US/Israeli cease‑fire and ongoing blockades of the Strait of Hormuz are sustaining high tanker‑market rates. Angelica Kemene of Optima Shipping Services discusses the potential shift in crude flows if the United Arab...
Iran Conflict Hobbles Japanese Manufacturers
Japanese manufacturers are feeling the ripple effects of the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict, which has disrupted shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and heightened insurance premiums for cargo. Companies reliant on components sourced from the Middle East are facing longer lead...
How GlobalFoundries’ “Virtual Fabs” Are Redefining Semiconductor Manufacturing
GlobalFoundries introduced Global Fab Engineering Services (GFES), a "virtual fab" model that extends engineering support, data analytics and process optimization beyond the physical wafer fab. Launched in 2015 with a hub in Bengaluru focused on yield analytics, GFES added a...
2026 Government Eagle Award: Jeffrey Koses
Jeffrey Koses, senior procurement executive at the General Services Administration, earned the 2026 Government Eagle Award for spearheading a sweeping overhaul of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). By trimming the FAR by 25%—removing 484 pages and 2,724 mandatory requirements—he gave...
Indus Towers Flags Delays, Cost Pressures as LPG Supply Tightens Amid West Asia Conflict
Indus Towers, the Bharti Airtel‑owned tower platform, warned that the West Asia conflict is tightening LPG supplies, a critical input for steel‑coating processes, which could slow tower construction and lift costs. Fuel and power expenses, about ₹11,996 crore (~$1.44 billion), represent 37%...
Apple May Take "Several Months" To Catch up to Mac Mini and Studio Demand
Apple’s Mac mini and Mac Studio are facing prolonged shortages, with many configurations marked “currently unavailable” and some orders taking months to ship. CEO Tim Cook attributed the gap to unexpectedly high AI‑driven demand and limited capacity at TSMC’s advanced...
Software-Defined Vehicles Test Auto Supply Chains: Moody’s
Moody’s warns that software‑defined vehicles (SDVs) turn cars into updatable software platforms, exposing automakers to new cyber‑security and code‑integrity risks. The shift also drives higher demand for memory chips, as AI workloads compete for the same semiconductor capacity, pushing automotive...
Fallout of Middle East Conflict Continues for Fashion Retail
Drapers reports that the ongoing US‑Israel conflict with Iran is straining fashion retail supply chains and eroding consumer confidence. Shipping lanes through the Red Sea are experiencing delays and cost spikes, while raw‑material prices climb amid regional instability. Retailers are...
DOE Continues ‘Swift Execution' Of 172MM Barrel SPR Exchange
The U.S. Department of Energy announced a new Request for Proposal to exchange up to 92.5 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The solicitation follows President Trump’s earlier 172‑million‑barrel release, part of a coordinated 400‑million‑barrel action by...
Middle East Fertiliser Crisis Likely to Hit Smaller Bulk Carriers
Yara International’s CEO warned that soaring fertilizer prices and a Gulf shipping bottleneck could trigger a global auction, hitting the poorest nations hardest. Around 300 bulk carriers, primarily 20,000‑65,000 dwt handy‑class vessels, are stranded in the Gulf, holding 1.9 million tonnes of...
SAS Warns of Structural E-SAF Gap Threatening Europe’s Aviation Market
SAS Aviation Insights warns that Europe faces a structural shortage of electro‑sustainable aviation fuel (e‑SAF) as the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation regulation ramps up demand. The report shows Scandinavian airlines will need 36,000 t of e‑SAF by 2030, rising to 330,000 t by...