Global Supply Chains Are Buckling Amid Virus and Natural Disasters

Natural disasters in China and Germany, a worldwide COVID-19 epidemic with various variants, and cyber attacks in South Africa are all factors contributing to an increased supply chain concern.

Factories, economists, and shipping specialists all agree that global supply chains are currently at the breaking point due to unexpected events which have brought manufacturing, logistics, and consumer product supplies to the brink.

As a result of the coronavirus Delta variant destructive impact on Asia, several nations have now blocked maritime landings. That results in commanders being unable to rotate their exhausted personnel, resulting in around 100,000 mariners trapped at sea beyond their sea shifts.

When considering that ships transport 90% of the world’s trade, the shortage of crew personnel is clearly impeding the delivery of all types of fuel, as well as food and electronics.

Germany’s container line Hapag Lloyd says, “Vessel capacity is very tight, empty containers are scarce and the operational situation at certain ports and terminals is not really improving,”

The floods in China and Germany, meanwhile, have worsened the damage from the first wave of the pandemic, straining worldwide supply systems that were still being repaired prior.

The coal transit out of mining regions like Inner Mongolia and Shanxi has been affected by the recent floods in China, as power plants need fuel for peak summer demand.

In Germany, the use of road transportation for transporting commodities has decreased considerably. The volume of late shipments went up 15% in the week prior to the disaster as it unfolded.