Supply Chain

Hong Kong – October 29, 2026 -- Windward has tied 45 Russia-trading shadow fleet tankers, held through 45 single-ship Hong Kong companies, to one untraceable nominee director, and 42 of the vessels are sanctioned.

Per Windward's visual link analysis, all but three of the tankers share 19 ISM managers with addresses in one industrial cluster in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan. The three exceptions are the unsanctioned vessels, which use ISM managers in the UAE.

Aging fleet runs under two flags

The group comprises six Suezmaxes, 33 Aframaxes and six medium-range product tankers, with an average age of 22 years. Thirty-four fly the Sierra Leone flag and nine fly the Equatorial Guinea flag.

Tehran – October 29, 2026 -- Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have no subsea route to the outside world that avoids the Strait of Hormuz, after an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman said on October 19 that seven major internet cables run beneath the waterway and that new targets and weapons would be unveiled.

Spokesman Hossein Mohebbi told a ceremony in Tehran that the response this time would be much harsher. Earlier in October, Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Iran could strike U.S.-linked cables, data centers and AI facilities in a new war. In May, the IRGC said every cable crossing the strait could be placed under Iranian permits.

Middle East – October 29, 2026 -- Spot tanker rates reached record highs in September as geopolitical disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea lengthened voyages and cut trade efficiency, according to a Teekay Tankers market update.

Hormuz shuttle trade ties up VLCC capacity

Middle East Gulf crude exports have recovered despite continuing attacks on ships. Several producers now run a dedicated fleet of VLCCs through the Strait of Hormuz to transfer crude ship-to-ship (STS) in the Gulf of Oman. The arrangement absorbs a large number of vessels and adds extended waiting times, which pushed VLCC spot rates to record levels.

HYDERABAD – October 29, 2026 -- The global essential oils market will grow from $20.08 billion in 2026 to $29.52 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 8.10%, according to Mordor Intelligence. Wider use of aromatherapy and pharmaceutical interest in the oils' potential antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and respiratory properties are driving the expansion.

Aromatherapy moves from spas into hospitals and workplaces

Growing awareness of mental health is taking aromatherapy beyond traditional spa settings into hospitals and workplaces. This opens additional wellness applications for essential oil suppliers. Product consistency, reliable sourcing and suitability for specific uses remain key purchasing considerations as use cases diversify.

Le Mars, Iowa – October 28, 2026 -- The Le Mars Transload Center (LMTC) is being expanded with a 0% interest loan from the Iowa Department of Transportation's Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant Program (RRLG), as demand for rail-to-truck transloading and third-party logistics services outgrows the current facility.

Facility and surrounding park handle nearly 2,000 railcars a year

The LMTC, owned and operated by Burlington Junction Railway (BJRY), opened in 2015 as a joint project of the City of Le Mars, BJRY and Canadian National Railway (CN). The transload facility and the surrounding industrial park manage nearly 2,000 railcars annually.

The site sits in the Le Mars Industrial Park at 1618 27th St. SW, adjacent to CN tracks and U.S. Highway 75. Companies of any size can use direct rail service there, including those without rail at their own location. The city expects new jobs and incremental tax revenue.

New York – October 28, 2026 -- More than 90% of procurement leaders say skills shortfalls are already limiting their ability to deliver on business objectives, and 66% say their training budget is insufficient, according to new Procurious research.

Almost 60% of procurement teams have no formal skills framework

The report, The Procurement Skills and Training Gap, finds that almost 60% of respondents have no formal procurement capability or skills framework. More than half lack either the budget or the time and resources to develop and maintain training programs.

Where development opportunities exist, 52% of respondents say they do not actively participate because of workload.

Forty percent of teams have no defined per-employee training budget

Nine percent of respondents invest nothing per employee in training. Asked what the right spend would be, 36% say $2,000 or more, and a further 21% say between $1,500 and $2,000.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – October 28, 2026 -- The same busbar drawing can produce supplier quotes up to three times apart, depending on which manufacturing process each supplier assumes, according to engineering guidance released by MES, Inc. The guidance targets data center engineers and sourcing teams specifying copper and aluminum busbar for high-density power distribution.

Liquid-cooled AI racks push current above 2,000 amps

A liquid-cooled AI rack can draw around 120 kW. At the 48 to 54 V DC used inside many of these racks, that exceeds 2,000 amps. Busbar is therefore a critical component inside the rack and in the switchgear and busway that feed it.

MES President and CEO Hiten Shah said material and margin do not explain the quote gap. One supplier prices punch and bend, another stamping, another machining, so buyers are not comparing the same part until those assumptions are disclosed.

Dallas – October 28, 2026 -- XTI Aerospace (Nasdaq: XTIA) appointed Dr. Allan Evans, CEO of rival-adjacent drone company Unusual Machines (NYSE American: UMAC), as a director and Chairman of its Board, restoring the board to five members.

Ornstein moves to Vice Chairman as Evans takes the chair

The Board designated Jonathan Ornstein as Vice Chairman in connection with Evans' appointment. Ornstein said Evans brings engineering expertise, business development and corporate strategy experience, and firsthand knowledge of the domestic supply chain for the U.S. drone industry.

Evans has led drone businesses since 2017

Evans, 43, has served as CEO and a director of Unusual Machines since December 2023. He was Chief Operating Officer of Red Cat Holdings from 2021 to 2023. Before that, he was CEO of Fat Shark from 2017 until Red Cat acquired it in 2020. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

United States – October 28, 2026 -- SupplyOne has replaced polypropylene trays with biodegradable/compostable MAP trays for a fast-growing fresh prepared meal company, as part of a packaging program built to support the customer's expansion.

The customer sells fresh, never-frozen meals to consumers with a range of dietary preferences. As volumes grew, it needed a packaging partner that could cover daily supply and new product initiatives without disrupting operations.

SupplyOne supplies a broad packaging range across the meal line

The program covers boxes, labels, tamper-evident containers, portion cups, trays, lidding film, void-fill paper, gel packs and cold-chain solutions, plus other essential packaging materials.

Global – October 28, 2026 -- SupplyOne has reduced stockouts, excess inventory and in-house assembly work for a leading metal processor serving the building products industry, according to a customer case study from the supplier.

Customer ran short on critical items while overstocked on others

The metal processor faced inconsistent inventory levels. It frequently ran out of critical items while holding excess stock of others. The company sought a partner that could keep the right products on hand, cut on-site inventory and cover day-to-day operational needs.

SupplyOne built a three-part inventory and supply program

The tailored program centered on product availability, space optimization and supplier consolidation.