This Week on Supply Chain Now: April 20-24

An estimated 12% of global trade worth more than $1 trillion traverses the Red Sea each year. When Houthi rebels started attacking commercial vessels in November 2023, ocean carriers began rerouting container ships around Africa’s Cape of Good Horn rather than through the Suez Canal on voyages from Asia to Europe. That greatly increased travel time and costs. As of March of this year, shipping through the Red Sea was still down 70% from before the attacks began, according to The Economist, with many ocean carriers still avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Peninsula. Maritime Industry Caught in the Crosshairs Houthi rebels launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The Houthis attacked more than 100 cargo ships between November 2023 and January 2025. The attacks, with missiles and drones, sunk two vessels and killed four sailors. In late October 2024, a headline in gCaptain read, “Red Sea Is Now So Dangerous Even NATO Warships Are Avoiding It.” “The United States Navy continues to send warships through the Red Sea, but its mission to protect merchant ships – Operation Prosperity…

Change is certainly going to come, and a number of developments are expected to impact the supply chain in 2025. That includes the increased adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, investment growth in renewable energy, and momentum gains for nearshoring. No matter what happens in 2025, Supply Chain Now will be there every day to serve as the voice of the industry and keep supply chain podcast listeners informed about the big ideas as well as the little changes that could make a big impact. Ongoing Disruptions Are Set to Impact Industry The question isn’t whether there will be supply chain disruptions in 2025. It’s a matter of when, where, and the cause of the disruption. The International Longshoremen’s Association could go on strike again in January if a contract agreement is not reached. The Houthi could stage more attacks on containerships in the Red Sea at any time. And weather-related disasters could range from deadly ice storms to floods to hurricanes anywhere in the country. “Looking ahead to 2025, we can predict some major shifts and challenges for supply chains. Right now, businesses around the world are facing increasing pressure to adapt to new technologies, environmental impacts, and…