President Trump’s trade war is accelerating plans to expand the biggest eastern container port—in Canada. The WSJ Logistics Report’s Paul Berger writes that the nation is fast-tracking the expansion at the Port of Montreal as it seeks to grow trade outside of the U.S.

Port officials say the new container-handling terminal will cost about $1.15 billion, and that it is crucial for strengthening Canada’s overseas trade. Upgrades are needed because Montreal soon will reach its container-handling capacity, the officials say.

Montreal became a logistics hub thanks to its proximity to big cities in Quebec and Ontario, and because of its connections to farms and factories in the U.S. Midwest. The port and Canada’s leaders are betting demand at Montreal will surge as those exporters turn to Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.

• Paccar is laying off 300 employees at a factory in Quebec, the Unifor union said, tying the cuts to pending U.S. tariffs on heavy-duty trucks. (Dow Jones Newswires)

Amazon unveiled a trio of new technologies that it is testing or preparing to deploy in its warehouses and delivery vans. The Wall Street Journal’s Sean McLain writes that these include a robot arm called Blue Jay to sort packages; an AI agent called Eluna to help managers deploy workers and avoid bottlenecks; and augmented-reality glasses to be worn by delivery drivers.

The announcements are the latest in a yearslong effort by Amazon to automate more warehouse tasks. Around three-quarters of Amazon’s deliveries are in some way assisted by robots, the company has said. The average number of workers in Amazon facilities fell to around 670 in 2024, the lowest in 16 years, according to a WSJ analysis.

Mercedes-Benz said it secured a short-term supply of chips in response to disruption at Dutch semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia, while Volkswagen said temporary production stoppages can't be ruled out because of the dispute.

The Dutch government last month wrested control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology, and Beijing fired back by prohibiting the export of certain Nexperia products manufactured in China. Nexperia’s chips are used in everything from lights to vehicle electronic control units.

A VW spokesman said production was so far unaffected, and that it was taking measures to ensure its supply is resilient. BMW and Renault said they were in contact with suppliers and monitoring the situation to head off risks early.

• The Trump administration is considering wide-ranging restrictions on exports to China that rely on U.S. software. (WSJ)
• President Trump said America’s ranchers should lower cattle prices to help ease the cost of beef at supermarkets and restaurants. (WSJ)
• Japan’s exports rebounded in September, snapping a four-month run of declines despite U.S. tariffs. (WSJ)
• The U.K.’s annual inflation rate remained at 3.8% in September, defying expectations of a 4.0% rise. (WSJ)
• Knight-Swift Transportation’s CEO said enforcement of English-proficiency rules and new controls on commercial licences could meaningfully affect trucking overcapacity. (Dow Jones Newswires)
• Alcoa said tariff costs on U.S. imports of aluminum from Canada were expected to increase by $50 million in the fourth quarter from the third, when it incurred $115 million from duties. (WSJ)
• Sweden’s SSAB said the direct effects of U.S. steel tariffs have so far been limited, as local production accounts for most of its sales in the U.S. market. (WSJ)
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection has processed nearly 24 million packages that would have fallen under the de minimis tariff exemption Trump ended on Aug. 29. (Reuters)
• Apple is cutting iPhone Air production orders but increasing those for other iPhone 17 models. (Nikkei Asia)
• Chinese shipyards hold nearly 75% of the year’s orderbook for new containerships by capacity, according to Alphaliner data. (Lloyd’s List)
• More containers coated with waterborne paints appear to be aging faster than expected, raising concerns their trading life will be shortened. (World Cargo News)
• Decreasing demand for postconsumer resin pellets prompted WM to temporarily close a $150 million recycling facility opened late last year in Texas. (Recycling Today)

Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at mark.long@wsj.com. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long, Liz Young and Paul Berger.