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Supply Chain by the Numbers

Sept. 18, 2026

Supply Chain by the Numbers for Sept. 18, 2026

Oil, Deisel Prices Soar. Lineage Logistics Lawsuit over Huge Fire. Have Container Ports Under Invested? August Manufacturing Flat


h
$100+
That of course is where oil prices headed this week, with the so-called Houthi rebels back and once again in the Red Sea and Straights of Hormuz. That sent gasoline and especially diesel fuel prices soaring, with diesel reaching all-time highs near $6.30 this week. That is just the latest grim milestone in what has been a steady march upward. Economists and supply chain experts say what starts in the transportation sector, where trucking and rail companies are feeling the pain now — will eventually push prices on virtually everything in the economy up.

$1 Billion+

That’s how much 3PL Lineage Logistics estimates its costs will be for a June fire that destroyed one of its temperature-controlled distribution centers near Los Angeles. That according to lawsuit filed late last week. Lineage filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Altus Power, which is owned by private-equity firm TPG, and Pearce Services, a subsidiary of commercial real-estate company CBRE Group. Those two firms were both involved in the installation and management of solar panels on the DC’s roof that allegedly started the blaze. The suit alleges negligence, negligent supervision, health and safety code violations and breach of contract. Los Palos rebutted Lineage’s claims and said it plans to contest the accusations in court. “Lineage’s statement is riddled with misinformation in a blatant attempt to deflect blame for their role in this matter,” a company representative said.



98.2
That was the level of US manufacturing output in August, as represented in the monthly index from the Federal Reserve Bank, which was released this week. That was flat from July (with a score of 98.4), as the index has been in range that has seen it hover around the 96 -98 level for more than six months, with no real growth, but not recessionary declines either. However, August output was up just 0.9% versus the same period in 2025. But at an index level of 98.2, it means US manufacturing output is still below that of the baseline year of 2017 (index = 100) now nine years later. It is also well below the all-time high of about 108, reached in late 2007.

28%
That is by how much leading global container ports saw volumes grow between 2019 and the start of 2026, according to analysis released this week by the maritime analysts at Drewry. The problem: capacity st those same ports increased just 21% over the same period. The inevitable result: growing issues with congestion during busy periods, says Drewry. In a company’s financial presentation on 13 August, Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk, said that container port capacity is insufficient and causing congestion in several regions, blaming ports for ”under investing” in infrastructure.

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