A top global logistics operator says the rush to distribute potential Covid-19 vaccines shouldn’t break global shipping networks. Kuehne + Nagel International Chief Executive Detlef Trefzger says governments, logistics providers and pharmaceutical companies will have to coordinate their efforts, but he tells the WSJ Logistics Report’s Jennifer Smith the transport capacity and cold-chain infrastructure should be in place to handle the surge in demand. Coronavirus vaccines remain in development, and operators including Kuehne + Nagel have been bracing their operations to handle doses that could stem the global pandemic. Some analysts say the rush once vaccines are authorized may challenge capacity-strained transport channels, but Mr. Trefzger expects the doses to move quickly. That’s partly because the enormous numbers of doses needed would be shipped over several months, with priorities set for initial populations to be vaccinated as supply chain form for the long haul.

Backers of hydrogen fuel cells as a green alternative for vehicles are hoping trucking can power up the market. Auto makers have spent decades developing the technology with little to show for it, the WSJ’s Mike Colias and Bob Tita write, but now believe that the scale in trucking may make the sector a better fit. Car companies say it has advantages for commercial trucks that travel long distances and need to refuel quickly, and they see growing interest in alternative-fuel big rigs as regulatory demands rise. The batteries used in automobiles as well as smaller trucks and buses aren’t practical for large trucks because the weight of batteries needed to power cargo-carrying vehicles would be impractical. Cost remains a hurdle, however. Building a network of hydrogen fueling stations and the infrastructure to transport the fuel would be expensive. And hydrogen-powered trucks would be pricier than conventional diesel semis.

Nickel is starting to get the attention of commodities investors focused on the electric-car market. Prices for the metal are pushing higher this fall as sales of alternative-fuel vehicles turn upward again, but the WSJ’s Stephen Wilmot writes in a Heard on the Street column that speculation about a possible run on supplies of the metal is unrealistic. Nickel is the latest metal to draw notice for its role in production of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric cars. Procurement worries over potential shortages have mostly centered on lithium and cobalt. But a big change in demand is unlikely to come for several years, and in the meantime the nickel market has become oversupplied as demand in China has slowed. A shortage could arise once batteries are cheaper than engines, an event that would strain procurement teams at auto makers that may end up scrambling for raw materials.
 

Oil prices are rising amid new coronavirus restrictions in Europe and the speedy return of production in Libya. (WSJ)

BP reported a fifth consecutive quarterly loss, providing the first glimpse of how major oil companies navigated the third quarter amid a prolonged slump in demand. (WSJ)

A new study found that free-shipping promotions boosted online sales but the high costs of returns for the items triggered losses for the retailers. (WSJ)

The U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iranian entities, including the tanker subsidiary of the country’s national oil company. (WSJ)

Finance chiefs are closely tracking how U.S. trade policy could change after the presidential election, potentially leading to higher tariff-related costs and new restrictions on certain products. (WSJ)

China will sanction three American defense contractors over proposed arms sales to Taiwan. (WSJ)

Enterprise software giant SAP scrapped its profit targets and said new pandemic restrictions would weigh on business into next year. (WSJ)

Chinese payments-technology giant Ant Group is set to raise at least $34.4 billion from the world’s biggest-ever initial public offering. (WSJ)

Coca-Cola agreed in principle to sell its stake in its Australian bottler to a European affiliate. (WSJ)

The parent of Dunkin’ has held early talks to go private in an acquisition by the owner of Arby’s. (WSJ)

Singapore’s factory output soared in September at the fastest pace in nine years. (Straits Times)

Amazon is fighting a bid by India’s Reliance Industries to buy the retail assets of Future Group. (TechCrunch)

Shifting global supply chains are bringing booming investment to a once-poor province in northern Vietnam. (Bloomberg)

Canadian grocery chain Loblaw will raise fees for suppliers to get their products on shelves as it spends more on store and e-commerce upgrades. (Financial Post)

Contract electronics manufacturer Foxconn is considering ways to fend off growing competition from China’s Luxshare. (Reuters)

DHL Express is adding 10,000 workers this holiday season. (Financial Times)

Container shipping lines restored trans-Pacific capacity at record levels for the fourth quarter. (Lloyd’s List)

Congestion-related delays at U.K. ports are spreading. (The Loadstar)

Maersk Line wants small shippers to bypass freight forwarders and book directly with the container line. (ShippingWatch)

The Port of Virginia is launching a $44 million project to double its on-dock rail capacity. (Supply Chain Dive)

Three importers will open distribution centers totaling 2.7 million square feet near Georgia’s Port of Savannah over the next year. (Journal of Commerce)

Amazon plans to open a 700,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Waco, Texas, next year. (RE Journals)

Daimler Trucks’ third-quarter net orders for North America rose 60% from a year ago. (Transport Dive)

Rail equipment supplier Greenbrier sees “early signs” demand will improve next year after revenue fell 16.5% in its fiscal fourth quarter. (Railway Age)

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

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