Business restocking plans are stuck on the water. A Sea-Intelligence analysis shows some 60% of container ships globally were late in arriving at ports in March, the WSJ Logistics Report’s Costas Paris writes, extending a trend toward increasing delivery delays that has undercut efforts to restock depleted inventories. The delays are part of an array of troubles in recent months that have disrupted supply chains, including rising raw materials costs, shortages of key components and capacity crunches in transportation networks. The deterioration in schedule reliability is adding to the squeeze since vessels and containers have been tied up for longer stretches. Shipping executives say the biggest bottleneck remains in Southern California, where vessels have been backed up waiting to get to crowded docks. The backlog has eased in recent weeks, raising shipper hopes that carriers will get back on schedule in time for this year’s peak season.

A pivot to a post-pandemic economy is already underway in the retail world. Sales at major merchants including Walmart, Home Depot and Macy’s rose sharply in the spring quarter, the WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer reports, and the retailers say shoppers bought up more apparel, travel gear and other goods signaling Covid-19 constraints are fading. Walmart’s sales growth in stores and online was its slowest since early 2020, but the company was one of the big gainers in last year’s upheaval as consumers stocked up on groceries and home essentials. The shift in sales will trigger adjustments in supply chains, but with inventories still painfully lean the bigger challenge may be simply keeping shelves stocked. Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon anticipates “continued pent-up demand throughout 2021.” At hard-hit department store chain Macy’s, CEO Jeff Gennette now sees momentum “that can sustain us in 2021 going into 2022.”

The mad yearlong rush in e-commerce fulfillment centers may be easing. New reports from some retailers suggest that the consumer zeal for shopping online has started to fray, the WSJ’s Justin Lahart writes in a Heard on the Street column, raising concerns that digital demand may slow sharply after pandemic lockdowns triggered supercharged digital sales growth. The Commerce Department says overall U.S. e-commerce sales rose a strong 39% in the first quarter. But digital sales growth at Walmart and Home Depot pulled back sharply to start the year after big expansion at the end of 2020. Traditional retailers may see consumers return to stores but the slipping growth rate at their operations may cast a cloud over companies devoted only to online sales. Companies are trying to understand whether pandemic-driven buying habits will drive long-term changes in consumer behavior. The latest sales figures may start to answer that question.

Japan’s economy contracted 5.1% in the first quarter but is expected to recover on growing manufacturing exports. (WSJ)

Auto maker Stellantis will work with iPhone assembler Foxconn Technology Group to develop in-car software. (WSJ)

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is seeking to muster business support for a package of infrastructure investments and corporate tax increases. (WSJ)

The Colonial Pipeline was still moving fuel despite intermittent disruptions in its ordering system. (WSJ)

The International Energy Agency says investment in new oil projects must cease for the world to slash net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. (WSJ)

Home Depot’s comparable-store sales rose 31% in the first quarter and were up 30% in May over 2019 levels. (WSJ)

Toyota is suspending three production lines at Japanese plants in June because of the chip shortage. (Nikkei Asia)

Jaguar Land Rover’s first-quarter revenues rose 20% on rebounding China and U.S. sales. (Financial Times)

Ports and refineries on India’s west coast were closed as Cyclone Tauktae battered the region. (Lloyd’s List)

Growth in U.S. container imports from Asia slowed from March to April. (Journal of Commerce)

Seaborne container imports into U.S. East Coast ports rose 22.3% in the first quarter. (Seatrade Maritime)

Container ship charter rates reached the highest levels in 16 years. (TradeWinds)

The Arkansas Trucking Association estimates the closure of a bridge through Memphis will cost the trucking industry $2.4 million a day. (Commercial Carrier Journal)

Oshkosh Defense plans to use its experience building military vehicles to make long-lasting trucks for the U.S. Postal Service. (Federal Times)

British Columbia is introducing weight allowances for electric trucks holding heavy batteries. (Today’s Trucking)

Barcoding and data collection provider Peak-Ryzex is buying shipping tools distributor Bar Code Direct. (DC Velocity)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Write to him at paul.page@wsj.com.

Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team: @PaulPage, @jensmithWSJ, @CostasParis. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on Twitter at @WSJLogistics.