Global supply chain resilience and logistics risks

Recent reports highlight significant challenges to global supply chain stability, primarily driven by rising costs and transportation shortages. Research indicates that while logistics leaders in the China and ASEAN regions are attempting to adopt multimodal routes to combat disruptions, true resilience remains limited. Only a very small percentage of companies have achieved high levels of partner connectivity, end-to-end visibility, or integrated routing.

On a broader scale, studies presented at the 16th Aecoc Supply Chain Congress identify inflation and difficulty finding transport as primary risks, with 72% of companies citing transport availability and 70% citing increasing costs as major threats. While many firms prioritize operational profitability, a majority admit to failing service level objectives.

To mitigate these risks, there is a growing trend toward improved supplier collaboration and the strategic use of air logistics. Air transport is increasingly viewed as a vital alternative for critical sectors like electronics and pharmaceuticals to bypass maritime route disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

Recent discussions in Rabat regarding Mediterranean geopolitics have further emphasized the vulnerability of specific industries to these disruptions. Experts highlighted risks to the Moroccan phosphate fertilizer industry, noting that Morocco reportedly imports approximately 9 million tons of sulfur annually. International market volatility has caused sulfur prices to surge from 230 dollars to peaks of 900 dollars per ton, underscoring the importance of securing essential inputs and port infrastructure.