Today’s briefing tracks a wave of momentum across global supply chains. Last-mile delivery saw its biggest reshuffle of the year, AI and humanoid robotics moved from labs to shop floors, and Asia-Europe maritime corridors took concrete steps toward decarbonization. Here is what shaped the day.
Operations & 3PL
DHL eCommerce signs a $10 billion last-mile deal with USPS. The two carriers formalized a multi-year tie-up that plugs DHL’s automated sortation hubs, air and ground networks into the postal operator’s final-mile footprint across the United States. The deal, valued at $10 billion over its lifetime, gives DHL deeper reach into rural ZIP codes while letting USPS recover parcel volumes lost to private rivals. Source: SupplyChainBrain
FedEx commits €46M to expand its Duiven road hub in the Netherlands. The investment funds a neighbouring facility that will significantly increase throughput at one of the carrier’s largest and most technologically advanced European nodes. FedEx says the move strengthens the Netherlands’ role as a continental gateway and supports its premium international parcel and freight business. Source: Post & Parcel
Amazon expands e-cargo bike trials to Washington, D.C. A 10-month pilot deploys up to 15 four-wheeled, battery-powered cargo bikes through independent delivery partners. It is Amazon’s second U.S. micromobility test and aligns with city policies aimed at cutting emissions, noise and curbside congestion in dense urban deliveries. Source: FreightWaves
Technology & Automation
Kleinschmidt invests in Upwell to bring AI auditing to freight billing. The partnership routes EDI 210 freight invoices directly through Upwell’s audit engine, which verifies proof of delivery, accessorial charges, contract rates and fuel surcharges before submission. Carriers already on the Kleinschmidt network gain end-to-end accounts receivable automation without changing their existing integrations. Source: FreightWaves
Bosch teams up with UK robotics firm Humanoid to scale humanoid robot production. The agreement follows a successful joint proof of concept and positions Bosch as a manufacturing partner for embodied robots aimed at warehouse and industrial settings. It marks one of the first large European industrial commitments to volume humanoid output. Source: Logistics Manager
Alibaba and Tencent pivot generative AI toward embodied robotics. Alibaba’s newly released Qwen3.7-Max introduces tool-calling, letting the model orchestrate physical actions such as navigation and manipulation. The shift signals Chinese hyperscalers redirecting frontier-model investment from chatbots to autonomous robots, with direct implications for warehouse and last-mile automation roadmaps. Source: SCMP Business
IMO adopts the first global code for autonomous ships. The MASS Code, applicable to cargo vessels, enters into force on 1 July 2026 as a non-mandatory framework before integration into SOLAS. It covers design, navigation, remote operations centres, connectivity, cybersecurity and search and rescue, giving the industry its first international rulebook for AI-enabled and remotely operated commercial ships. Source: Container News
Sustainability & Energy
Imabari Shipbuilding delivers two eco-efficient bulk carriers. The Japanese yard handed over the 63,682 DWT handymax FUJI MARU from Shin Kasado and the 181,987 DWT capesize FRONTIER PEACE from Saijo on 26 May. Both ships embed energy-saving devices, high-efficiency propellers and full MARPOL plus ballast-water compliance, extending Imabari’s environmentally optimized dry bulk portfolio. Source: Container News
Valenciaport and Ningbo move their green corridor from declaration to operation. A practical implementation agreement was signed by MSC, Senior Auto, the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute and the Valenciaport Foundation, anchored on MSC’s Jade service linking the two ports. Spain’s Ministry of Economy and Puertos del Estado backed the framework at the Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum in Ningbo. Source: Container News
HutanBio targets 8,000 mt/year of algae-based marine biofuel in Oman by 2029. The UK startup says offtaker Wakud is open to both long-term shipowner contracts and spot bunker sales, after sealing a commercialization partnership with Oman’s Utopia World Investment. The project signals a scaled biofuel option for shipowners weighing dual-fuel and alternative-fuel strategies. Source: Hellenic Shipping News
International Markets
STB conditionally accepts the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger application. The Surface Transportation Board greenlit the filing on the condition that the carriers submit additional data, much of it environmental, by 27 July. UP and NS shares dropped about 5% on the news, with analysts warning the approval delay is eroding the strategic value of the proposed transcontinental rail combination. Source: FreightWaves
Atlas Air takes a 49% stake in Icelandic ACMI operator Air Atlanta. The move extends Atlas’s global ACMI footprint at a moment when private equity owner Apollo continues to weigh strategic options for the US cargo airline, including a potential future sale. Investor appetite for aviation and hard-asset logistics businesses remains a tailwind. Source: The Loadstar
Diana Shipping raises its all-cash bid for Genco to $24.80 a share. The sweetened offer intensifies a takeover battle in dry bulk and lifts pressure on Genco’s board to engage. The contest is now one of the most closely watched M&A moves in shipping this year, with consolidation pressure building across the sector. Source: gCaptain
Related Coverage
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- Ceva Logistics Inaugurates Alashankou Hub on China-Kazakhstan Border
- Blue Yonder Doubles Down on Agentic AI at ICON 2026
- FM Logistic Secures SBTi Validation for 1.5°C Decarbonization Plan
Updated daily — your morning briefing on global supply chain.
