The Planning Desk, Week 43: Low Water, Hot Chips, Working Agents

Record-low water on the Rhine and rail works squeeze freight into Germany and Switzerland, while carriers return to Suez and Hormuz stays almost shut. Cisco puts a number on its demand-planning agent, AI data centres compete for chips and air cargo, and DSV, Kuehne+Nagel and Meds report on network changes. Plus SAP and Pigment, EU trade defences against China, and the events ahead. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:54 Lead stories 4:11 AI and tech 8:33 Nordics and DACH 10:48 Market moves 11:37 Macro Trade 12:14 Events 13:01 Quick hits 14:12 Sign-off Sources SupplyChainBrain: German rail struggles with Rhine diversions: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/45054-german-rail-struggles-with-rhine-diversions VerkehrsRundschau: Schienenausbau, deutlich weniger Güterzüge als geplant: https://www.verkehrsrundschau.de/nachrichten/transport-logistik/schienenausbau-deutlich-weniger-gueterzuege-als-geplant-3925178 Freightos: Red Sea container traffic set for full return in Q1: https://www.freightos.com/freight-resources/red-sea-container-traffic-set-for-full-return-in-q1-october-20-2026-update/ Drewry: World Container Index: https://www.drewry.co.uk/supply-chain-advisors/supply-chain-expertise/world-container-index-assessed-by-drewry Talking Logistics: Above the Fold, October 16, 2026: https://talkinglogistics.com/2026/10/16/above-the-fold-supply-chain-logistics-news-october-16-2026/ Supply Chain Management Review: Cisco's supply chain AI gains start with the work behind the workflow: https://www.scmr.com/article/ciscos-supply-chain-ai-gains-start-with-the-work-behind-the-workflow Supply Chain Now: The Visibility Illusion: https://supplychainnow.com/visibility-illusion-why-seeing-problem-never-same-solving-1649/ VerkehrsRundschau: BVL Supply Chain CX in Berlin eröffnet: https://www.verkehrsrundschau.de/nachrichten/transport-logistik/bvl-supply-chain-cx-in-berlin-eroeffnet-3924420 Supply Chain Dive: US semiconductor supply chain relies on vulnerable hidden inputs: https://supplychai