Energy Storage Finance: Masdar sealed a $5.1B package for a 5.2GW solar plus 19GWh round-the-clock battery project in Abu Dhabi, targeting operations in 2027 and aimed at AI/data-center-driven demand. Battery Tech Validation: Meine Electric says its fast-charging iron-air system (6-hour charge, 18-hour discharge) was independently validated by CES, pushing long-duration storage closer to daily renewable use. EV Charging Due Diligence: DNV completed technical due diligence for Aberdeen Investments and DigitalBridge’s Netherlands EV charging deal, supporting the growth of scalable charging for public, commercial and logistics sites. Logistics & Air Cargo: Sin-Kung Logistics signed an MoU with Hong Kong’s airport authority to expand multimodal cargo and digitalisation efforts across Southeast Asia. Freight Back-Office Expansion: ClearLane added dedicated Florida back-office teams for brokers, 3PLs and carriers, covering AP/AR, POD retrieval and compliance monitoring across key port and produce corridors. Shipping Disruption Risk: The Strait of Hormuz shipping picture worsened as the US resumed its Iran port blockade, raising interception and diversion risks for vessels. Corporate/Tech Shock to Supply Chains: IBM warned that customers are shifting capex toward servers, storage and memory for AI infrastructure, dragging software demand and rattling broader tech spending. Industrial Moves: Ferguson agreed to buy FloWorks (FloWorks) for about $1.6B to deepen specialty valves and flow-control distribution, citing logistics and technology synergies.