8 weeks to go until 2027. Are you ready?
Ready for what, Adrian?
I don’t know. Ready for anything, I guess.
8 weeks is still a long time. Don’t wish it away.
I know, but still, this year is coming to an end.
Yeah, I know. But what’s your point?
I just don’t feel ready.
Ready for what, Adrian?
[Long pause]
—
While I figure it out, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week:
- Los Angeles, Long Beach Port Strike Deadline Moves to Friday Night (SupplyChain247)
- Democrats Are Hatching a Plan to Reverse Trump’s Canada Tariffs (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- Zipline Raises $1.5 Billion To Build Nationwide Drone Delivery Network
- Walmart Expands Nation’s Largest Retail Drone Delivery Operation with 300 New Zipline Sites
- Amazon is reinventing the delivery experience for drivers with smart delivery glasses
- Humble Robotics Raises $51 Million Series A to Scale Its Unified Approach to Autonomous and Electric Freight
- Walmart and Symbotic Expand Commercial Agreement to Support Supply Chain Transformation
- Blue Yonder Launches AI-Native Order Management to Help Retailers and Distributors Protect Sales and Lower Fulfillment Costs
- FourKites and Chorus Launch Store Marketing Intelligence for Consumer Brands
- Supermarket freezers in several European countries hit by apparent cyberattacks (AP)
- Latest U.S.-Canada Trade Talks Yield Progress Toward Pact, Carney Says (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- FMC will Host a Research Symposium on Demurrage and Detention
- Amazon, Uber, Instacart sue to block NYC law over delivery worker deactivation (Reuters)
- October deluge brings Panama Canal lake levels back towards normal (Splash247)
- These Trucks Haul 90 Tons of Coal on Battery Power—and Drive Themselves (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- 78-Year-Old Philadelphia Woman Arrested for Blocking Delivery Robot (SupplyChain247)
A New Congress, New Supply Chain Questions
We had an election here in the United States this week, and the big result is that Democrats have taken control of Congress. How will this shift in power affect supply chains in 2027 and beyond?
Time will tell, but rolling back tariffs is already emerging as a priority for Democrats.
“Democrats are eyeing President Trump’s trade war with Canada as the first target in a campaign to roll back his administration’s tariff agenda, according to the party’s senior trade lawmaker in the Senate,” as reported by Gavin Bade in The Wall Street Journal. Here’s more from the article:
“There is overwhelming support for repealing the tariffs on products from Canada,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.), the Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, who added that he was “already talking” with colleagues about legislation to push against Trump’s second-term levies after he gains control of the committee in January.
It’s important to note, however, that President Trump could veto any legislation to repeal tariffs, making significant changes to his trade policies difficult to achieve.
The election results could also affect the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). “Any changes to the USMCA aren’t likely to get through a divided political environment in the next two years, and Canada and other trading partners might have more incentive to hold out,” according to a PwC post this week.
The Trump administration will continue to lead negotiations with Canada and Mexico, but Democrats could use congressional hearings and legislation to influence the process. For companies with supply chains spanning all three countries, uncertainty around future trade rules, sourcing decisions, and cross-border transportation costs will likely continue.
Artificial intelligence will be another area of focus for the new Congress, with potential legislation addressing data privacy, safety, and accountability. There is also growing opposition to building new AI data centers because of concerns about rising electricity costs and environmental impacts. Some newly elected Democratic governors, including Gina Hinojosa in Texas, Amy Acton in Ohio, and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, are calling for temporary pauses on new data center construction. If these efforts gain momentum, they could slow the expansion of AI infrastructure, increase costs, and potentially affect how quickly companies adopt AI.
8 weeks until 2027. Are you ready?
And with that, have a meaningful weekend.
Song of the Week: “Changes” by David Bowie
