The closure of the Port of Baltimore this week could have far-reaching implications all the way across the country for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to several experts including Lisa Anderson of LMA Consulting Group.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge now lies partially submerged in the Patapsco River after a catastrophic cargo ship collision this week. Here’s how the Key Bridge collapse may affect the port’s operation.
Lisa Anderson emphasizes the profound and wide-ranging impacts on global supply chains. The bridge’s destruction not only disrupts local traffic and logistics but also sends shockwaves through international trade routes, highlighting the critical need for robust supply chain resilience strategies.
Horribly, a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and much of the bridge collapsed. From a supply chain point of view, it has caused significant near-term impacts and extended disruptions in the region.
The Baltimore disaster is expected to further compound the stress already placed on the global freight system. “Container shipping traffic has already been quite disrupted, because of the drought going on in the Panama Canal–ships from there [are] going through the Suez Canal to come to the east coast of the U.S. from Northeast Asia,” says Lisa Anderson.
As manufacturers rethink global supply chains, reshoring, nearshoring, and friend-shoring are becoming central strategies for improving resilience, reducing risk, and supporting long-term growth. In this interview with the BBC, Lisa Anderson discusses the forces driving manufacturing closer to home, including geopolitical risk, government incentives such as the CHIPS Act, [...]
The supply chain has calmed down since the height of the pandemic; however, smart manufacturers are thinking ahead to changing conditions. Geopolitical risks are at an all-time high.
Manufacturing promotes safety and security and mitigates risk. Controlling your supply chain and mitigating geopolitical risk can become paramount overnight as geopolitical events occur, natural disasters emerge, and supply chain challenges arise (strikes, disruptions, shortages).
This is how companies deal with the Red Sea crisis: planes, storage, and closest suppliers.
The recent turmoil in the Red Sea, triggered by Houthi drone and missile attacks, has significantly amplified risks in global shipping, particularly affecting the Suez Canal and Red Sea routes.
