What We're Reading: Trendwatch Week 18

India suspends operations in major East Indian port after cyclone warning

May 1, 2019 - India has suspended operations at a major port on its east coast until an impending cyclone makes landfall on Friday, a port official in the mineral-rich eastern state of Odisha said. India has started evacuating hundreds of thousands of villagers living along its northeastern coastline and also canceled trains ahead of the severe storm.  

Source: Reuters

BDP International is closely monitoring the status of the storm and its potential impact on our customers' supply chains. We will share updates and alerts, as necessary.


 
Timeline: The politics of Brexit and its supply chain impacts

April 29, 2019 - When the U.K. voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, supporters framed it as a fresh start — a win for sovereignty, the potential to save money and greater control over immigration. What exactly an exit from the EU would look like, though, had not yet been fleshed out when citizens voted.
Source: Supply Chain Dive


 
Xi Jinping’s second Belt and Road forum: Three key takeaways

April 27, 2019 - Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted some 5,000 delegates from across the globe at the Belt and Road forum in Beijing last week to discuss his signature infrastructure project, which began in 2013 to rebuild ancient trading routes across Eurasia. This year’s gathering eschewed the pageantry of the inaugural summit in 2017, as Beijing tried to address international criticism by toning down its rhetoric and tightening oversight. Here are three takeaways from the summit, and how Xi fared in the international spotlight.
Source: American Journal of Transportation
 


Panama Canal expansion allows more transits of propane and other hydrocarbon gas liquids

Apr 29, 2019 - In June 2016, the Panama Canal Authority, the body that operates the Panama Canal, opened the third set of locks that facilitated the transit of larger ships, the first such expansion since the canal was completed in 1914. In the years since the canal was expanded, the largest change in petroleum flows through the canal has been the increase of hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL), especially propane, from the U.S. Gulf Coast to destinations in Asia.
Source: American Journal of Transportation
 

 

Port of Rotterdam focusing blockchain on logistics and energy

May 1, 2019 - After launching a blockchain pilot in October 2018, Dutch Port of Rotterdam has now identified areas in which blockchain technology use would benefit its operations. The port authority explained that blockchain is suitable for coordinating processes in decentralized networks of companies and institutions, adding that the port’s traditionally centrally-controlled electrical grid is poised to benefit from the new technology. 
Source: World Maritime News


 
Autonomous vehicles, drones still face supply chain skeptics

April 23, 2019 - Just 14% of supply chain professionals say their company is using autonomous vehicles (AVs) or drones. Another 36% say they plan to begin using the technology within the next five years, but 32% say they are unlikely to adopt the technology, according to the 2019 MHI Annual Industry Report.
Source: Supply Chain Dive


 
California Ports welcome comments on cargo handling equipment study

April 29, 2019 - The public is invited to comment on a draft assessment of new cargo-handling equipment technology that will help the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles reduce air pollution and reach the ambitious zero-emissions goals set by the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).
Source: American Journal of Transportation 


 
Boeing counts on supply chain for recovery from 737 MAX grounding

April 26, 2019 - Boeing's ability to recover will depend largely on regulators deciding to allow the plane to again take to the skies, analysts said. "In our view, we continue to see risks in Boeing stock until the US, European, and other regional aviation regulatory bodies certify the MAX fix and the aircraft returns to service," Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research said in an analyst note following the call.
Source: Supply Chain Dive