Today’s briefing covers a busy 24 hours across global supply chains: MODE Global plants its first Mexican flag, Penske rolls out a new visibility platform, Aurora and Volvo extend autonomous trucking, the IMO regains momentum on shipping decarbonisation, and Gartner warns of an AI-driven talent shortfall. Here is what supply chain operators need to know this morning.
Operations & 3PL
MODE Global enters Mexico with first Puebla office. The Chattanooga-based 3PL has opened its first owned office in Mexico, planting a flag in Puebla to handle over-the-road, intermodal, air and ocean shipments. The move brings cross-border operations in-house, reducing handoffs and addressing cargo theft concerns. Executives signalled further hubs if the model performs. Source: American Shipper
Penske Logistics launches Supply Chain Insight platform. Penske has rolled out a new platform consolidating freight, warehouse and transportation data into a single real-time dashboard. The 3PL is positioning the tool as a way to give shippers faster decision-making across multi-modal networks while standardising KPI tracking and exception management. Source: Supply Chain 24/7
Konecranes names Toyota Material Handling distributor for Southern California. The crane and lift-truck specialist has appointed Toyota Material Handling Solutions to cover the Los Angeles-Long Beach corridor, with sales, service and maintenance focused on accelerating fleet electrification. The deal leans on Konecranes’ TRUCONNECT remote-monitoring platform for predictive maintenance and uptime improvements. Source: Container News
Sparrows Point breaks ground as first new private U.S. container terminal in decades. Tradepoint Atlantic and MSC-affiliated Terminal Investment Ltd. began construction May 1 on a 168-acre, $1.2 billion marine and on-dock rail terminal southeast of Baltimore. The facility will offer over 1 million TEUs of annual capacity and seven ship-to-shore cranes, with first berth completion targeted for 2028. Source: American Shipper
Technology & Automation
Aurora and Volvo extend autonomous freight network into Oklahoma. A new 200-mile route between Dallas and Oklahoma City pairs Aurora Driver with Volvo VNL Autonomous trucks, running five days per week under supervised autonomy and — for the first time — delivering directly to customer facilities rather than freight hubs. The expansion follows refrigerated carrier Hirschbach’s order for 500 Aurora platforms. Source: DC Velocity
China centres next Five-Year Plan on industrial robotics. Beijing will prioritise AI-driven traditional industrial robots over humanoids for high-speed manufacturing, the International Federation of Robotics reports. China already operates around 2 million industrial robots — about 4.5x Japan — and accounts for 54% of global annual installations. Humanoid commercialisation is targeted toward the end of the plan window. Source: DC Velocity
Smart tires emerge as a fleet efficiency lever. Continental Tire executives say embedded-sensor platforms such as ContiConnect are gaining traction with North American carriers seeking to cut fuel use and extend equipment life. With diesel volatility back in focus, telematics-driven tire management is being positioned alongside predictive maintenance as a margin tool rather than a cost. Source: American Shipper
Brady launches cordless industrial label printer. The BradyPrinter i4311 brings stationary-grade output to mobile environments, printing labels up to 101.6 mm wide with battery capacity rated for 5,000 prints per charge. The hybrid unit supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ethernet and USB-C, expanding mobile use cases for GHS chemical labelling, asset tagging and work-in-progress documentation. Source: Logistics Business
Sustainability & Energy
IMO MEPC 84 rebuilds momentum on Net-Zero Framework. The 84th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee closed in London on May 1 with delegations agreeing to set up an intersessional working group meeting in September and November ahead of MEPC 85. Members also approved a new Emission Control Area in the North-East Atlantic and condemned recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Source: Container News
DKV Mobility completes Optimile acquisition. The B2B mobility-payments platform has acquired Belgian e-mobility specialist Optimile from BNP Paribas Fortis and AG Insurance, with terms undisclosed. Ghent-based Optimile operates a SaaS platform covering authorisation, monitoring, access management and pan-European charging roaming, reinforcing DKV’s position in European fleet electrification. Source: Logistics Business
Siat and Mosca strike end-to-end packaging cooperation. The two specialists have agreed a strategic partnership covering strapping, wrapping, sealing, forming, cartoning and palletizing. Each company gains access to selected products from the other’s portfolio, marketed under designated brands across Europe, North America and other markets — pitched as a unified offer for industrial packaging buyers. Source: Logistics Business
International Markets
Strait of Hormuz crisis exposes coordination gaps. A new analysis argues that while most shippers can now detect disruptions in near-real time, few are equipped to respond collaboratively across partner networks — a structural weakness being tested as routing tightens around the Gulf. The findings underscore growing demand for cross-tier orchestration tools beyond visibility alone. Source: Supply Chain 24/7
Gartner: AI-for-headcount swap will backfire on hiring costs. Supply chain organisations pausing entry-level hiring in 2026 in favour of AI tooling will pay premiums of up to 15% for early-career talent by 2030, the firm forecasts. VP Analyst Simon Bailey warned that AI is “not a plug-and-play replacement for people” and that durable returns come from human-AI collaboration. Source: DC Velocity
Posidonia 2026 opens with geopolitics topping the agenda. The Posidonia conference programme has begun several weeks ahead of the main exhibition, anchored by sessions on insurance, energy transition, digitalisation and maritime security. Marine Insurance Greece (May 6-7) leads off, focusing on how underwriters are repricing sanctions, war exposure and operational risks across global shipping routes. Source: Container News
Supply chain leaders juggle today’s ops with tomorrow’s autonomy. Executives are increasingly being asked to deliver service and cost performance while simultaneously building toward more autonomous, decision-driven supply chains, according to Supply Chain 24/7. The dual mandate is reshaping investment priorities and accelerating AI deployment without dropping near-term commitments. Source: Supply Chain 24/7
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Updated daily — your morning briefing on global supply chain.
