Dive Brief:
- The Department of Transportation plans to launch the American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative to drive faster cargo processing, lower logistics costs and bolster the U.S. workforce, per a June 12 press release.
- The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative includes a high-visibility dashboard connecting ocean carriers, trucking companies, railroads and retailers — such as Walmart — to major hubs including the Port of Los Angeles, according to the release.
- “Fewer delays mean lower costs throughout the entire supply chain,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in the announcement. “The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative will prevent bottlenecks, move freight faster, and deliver goods more affordably for the American people.”
Dive Insight:
The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative builds on the DOT’s Freight Logistics Optimization Works program launched in 2022, per the DOT. The data-sharing initiative was initially created to help improve the flow of cargo following extended COVID-19-driven constraints.
The FLOW platform houses several types of data. In 2024, the DOT began publishing information on inland freight hubs, including rail terminal and warehouse end destinations to help shippers with capacity planning and avoid supply chain delays. Other published data includes purchase information as well as information around cargo movements out of specific ports of origin.
As of April, FLOW had 86 members, including PetSmart, CMA CGM, The Home Depot, and GE Appliances.
The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative also builds on the National Freight Strategic Plan, per the press release, which was updated this year. The national freight plan was launched in 2020 to guide national policy and investments related to supply chains.
Duffy is currently requesting Congress to include the necessary American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative legislation in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, according to the release.
“By authorizing USDOT to create role-based access for specific data points, Congress will give the Department the framework and flexibility required to securely streamline national logistics,” per the release.
