Daily Supply Chain Report

Falcon Copper and Glencore International sign MoU for up to 1.6 million tonnes per annum of copper concentrate and an Arizona smelting facility to bolster the U.S. supply chain. Falcon Copper and Glencore International signed a non-exclusive MoU to strengthen the U.S. critical-minerals supply chain; Glencore will deliver up to 1.6 million tonnes per annum of copper concentrate to Falcon's planned smelting and refining facilities, with Falcon acting as operator or investor and Glencore providing capital, logistics, marketing and offtake; Falcon's Arizona smelting project sits at the center of a U.S. push to rebuild domestic copper midstream capacity, following Glencore's March 2026 binding nickel offtake from the Centaurus Jaguar project in Brazil.

In the same period, US targets Iran-China oil pipeline in dual sanctions on Qingdao Haiye terminal and Iranian exchange houses. The U.S. State Department designated China-based Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal alongside a tanker, vessel managers and a linked individual under EO 13846; Treasury moved in parallel under EO 13902 against three Iranian currency exchange houses said to convert oil proceeds for Tehran, expanding compliance exposure across cargo handling, chartering, financing and settlement.

Elsewhere, KEGM signs Med Marine's Ereğli Shipyard contract for two 80-ton bollard pull emergency response tugs. KEGM signed the second tranche of its six-tug procurement program with Med Marine's Ereğli Shipyard in Zonguldak; the 80-ton bollard pull tugs will perform emergency response and salvage missions across the Turkish Straits.

Then, Trump targets EU cars and trucks with 25% tariff. President Trump announced via Truth Social that the U.S. will impose a 25% tariff on EU-origin cars and trucks next week, accusing the bloc of non-compliance with last summer's framework deal that capped vehicle duties at 15%; the new rate marks a return to the prior Section 232 levies.

Continuing on, Somali piracy resurges: JMIC issues "credible threat" warning for the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin. The Joint Maritime Information Center reported two commercial vessels hijacked within hours last week and a May 1 approach by a skiff carrying seven armed men on a bulk carrier in the IRTC southwest of Al Mukalla, Yemen; with the Hormuz crisis pulling naval assets to the Persian Gulf, pirate groups are reverting to mothership-style operations.

Meanwhile, US Treasury OFAC expands sanctions warning on Iranian "toll" payments in Strait of Hormuz. OFAC's May 1 alert ruled that any "safe passage" value transfer to Iran or the IRGC—cash, crypto, offsets or charitable donations—will be treated as sanctionable; non-US shipowners, insurers and P&I clubs face secondary sanctions and loss of US financial-system access.

Shortly after, Foreign-flag cargo ship runs aground in storm off Karasu. A foreign-flagged cargo ship lost control in adverse weather and grounded off Sakarya's Karasu coast on Türkiye's Black Sea; the Turkish Coast Guard mobilised to evacuate the eight-strong crew, with an air asset requested to support the operation.

On another front, Goodwill Maritime exits the capesize segment with $65M Lowlands Spirit sale to Genco. Singapore-based Goodwill Maritime sold the 2019 Imabari-built, 182,000 dwt scrubber-fitted Lowlands Spirit for $65 million to NYSE-listed Genco Shipping & Trading; delivery is expected in June 2026 and the vessel will trade in the spot market.

In parallel, Clarksons acquires Peruvian shipbroker Serpac International. The London-listed broker absorbed Lima-based Serpac's six-person dry bulk team under Andrew Hardy, securing a strategic Pacific coast foothold for Asia-Latin America commodity flows.