Ask Ahab

Issue 80

Dear Ahab,

I’ve seen a lot of concerning trends in the weather over the past few years, like the Panama Canal operating at limited capacity due to droughts last year. How worried should I be about another drought hitting the canal this year, and what can I do to prepare for that?

– Drought of Ideas

Dear Drought of Ideas: Let’s start by putting your mind at ease by noting that, at the moment, the canal isn’t facing a drought. That being said, you should still be concerned about changing weather patterns, as experts believe these new weather patterns will have an effect on the supply chain sooner rather than later. Your concern, to say the least, is legitimate.

Therefore, the best thing you can do is get ahead of the curve. Begin adjusting your supply chain strategy now, because the EPA has already projected what these new weather patters will look like in the future (click here to read the EPA report). By anticipating the future and adjusting your strategies proactively, you will be well positioned when climate change reaches its point of no return while others will struggle to adjust.

Dear Ahab, I couldn’t make it to TPM this year, and I wanted to see what the hot topics were at the conference this year?

– Captain Conferencer

Dear Captain Conferencer: Industry leaders were talking about a host of hot-button issues at this year’s TPM conference, including geopolitical conflicts and complications, changing maritime shipping alliances, the after-effects of various industry labor disputes and settlements, and, of course, tariffs.

At this year’s conference, we learned that it is difficult to predict how the market is going to respond to everything that is happening. In many markets, just one of these ongoing topics would be enough to throw the supply chain into uncertainty. Four of them together, however, creates an ongoing series of headaches for the logistics industry.

For shippers looking to simplify their operations in a highly complex and turbulent world, the best thing to do is enlist an expert to figure it out and help you make the best decision for your business. While very few people can accurately predict what will happen next, a logistics consultant can help you figure out the best and most cost-effective response.