Supply Chain Industry Insights – May 2025

Industry Insights

May 2025

By PGL

Welcome to the PGL Industry Insights report for May 2025

The benchmark diesel price increased by 6.8 cents to just over $3.52 per gallon, marking the first rise after five consecutive weeks of decline. This uptick reflects recent surges in diesel futures prices.

The Port of Los Angeles reported record April volumes with 890,000 twenty-foot equivalent units in April, a 12% increase year-over-year. This increase is being attributed to the rush to get ahead of tariffs, but analysts are expecting a potentially steep decline in volume in the near future as indicated by a 36% drop in volume headed to Long Beach from China.

U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 17 totaled 500,000 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5% compared to the same week last year, driven by gains in coal and grain shipments.

Aurora Innovation was set to launch the nation’s first commercial driverless freight service, operating autonomous 18-wheelers between Dallas and Houston without a human behind the wheel. This decision was walked back within a few days as Texas lawmakers are reviewing House Bill 4402, a proposal to require human operators, even in an autonomous vehicle. This serves as a case study to monitor as the relationship between technology and lawmaking evolves.

That’s it for this month’s report. With ongoing shifts in fuel prices and freight volumes, staying informed is more important than ever. Subscribe to our channel to make sure you get the latest supply chain insights. As always, PGL will be here to keep you informed 24/7/365.

Follow us at @shipPGL and visit our website at www.shipPGL.com.