[#310] Supply Chain in Numbers - Nov 3, 2025
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Parcel locker
10 min read
The LockerNYC program is central to this article. Understanding the history and global adoption of parcel locker systems provides context for why cities are investing in this infrastructure to address package theft and reduce delivery truck traffic.
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Rotor ship
11 min read
The article discusses Vela's wind-powered cargo vessel for pharmaceutical shipping. Rotor ships and modern wind-assisted propulsion technologies represent a fascinating intersection of historical sailing innovation and contemporary decarbonization efforts in maritime shipping.
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Sino-African relations
16 min read
The article notes China's shipments to Africa surged 56% as trade diversifies away from the US. Understanding the deeper historical and economic ties between China and Africa illuminates why the continent is becoming a strategic alternative market.
Welcome to “Supply Chain in Numbers.” This newsletter tracks significant numbers from the supply chain world. Five prominent numbers are published every Monday. If you have any feedback, please send it to me.
70 LockerNYC locations
The New York City Department of Transportation is expanding a delivery locker pilot program to 36 additional locations in the next several weeks in a bid to curb package theft and truck traffic. The program, called LockerNYC, offers free public delivery lockers for sending and receiving packages on public sidewalks and in indoor locations across the city’s five boroughs. LockerNYC will have 70 locations once the new lockers are available. Since the program’s launch in April 2024, LockerNYC users have made more than 15,000 reservations for package pickups and drop-offs, according to the release. GoLocker operates and maintains the program’s lockers and accepts packages from UPS, FedEx, the U.S. Postal Service, DHL, and other carriers. [Supply Chain Dive]
12 cents per parcel
About 4,400 small, independent regional companies have worked as delivery contractors for Amazon since the launch of the Delivery Service Partner program in 2018. It’s hard work, but entrepreneurs were drawn to it because of the possibility of solid money. According to an Amazon analysis of 648 delivery contractors last year, 80 percent generated annual profits of more than $100,000. One issue for the delivery companies, however, has become increases in insurance premiums; they employ young male drivers for the most part, and a single incident can jack up the rates for the whole firm. To mollify some of those concerns, Amazon is increasing the payment per package delivered by 20 percent to 12 cents per parcel. [Numlock]
2.66 days to get a berth
Disruptions to global trade caused by tensions between China and the United States have led to long wait times for vessels queued off the coast of China. In the week ending October 19, the average wait time rose to 2.66 days for a vessel to get a berth. That is up 17 percent week over week, due in part to the tit-for-tat fees announced by China and the U.S. on the other country’s ships. [gCaptain]
5% of volume from France to the NYC lane
Pharmaceutical company Takeda has partnered with shipping startup Vela to test whether its wind-powered cargo vessel, modeled after ocean-racing sailboats, can deliver temperature-sensitive drugs between France and ...
This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.