Unprecedented weather across North America could lead to trucking, logistics, and supply chain issues with little to no warning. A BBC article states that the heatwave in the United States is contributing to America and Canada’s worst wildfire seasons yet. With reports from the US drought monitor affirming that at least half the nation has been multi-year drought, that in combination with the record heat spikes creates “sky-high” potential for spontaneous wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly, especially in the Southwest. These unprecedented weather scenarios could lead to additional delays and issues with shipping and logistics nationwide, and globally.

Now is the time to secure supply chains through the fall for what could be an above-average hurricane season in the Gulf area. A recent article details a forecast of the 2021 hurricane season according to hurricane research specialists at Yale University. After earlier-than-anticipated Elsa surged its way across the coast, experts are predicting a season of what they refer to as “hyperactivity”, specifically noting a low probability of El Nino forming as a substantial contribution to the potential increase in storms, as well as an overactive monsoon season in West Africa.

The BBC reports that supply disruptions could have an impact all the way through to Christmas of 2021, suggesting the world complete their shopping lists now in preparation. Siting the port closures in Guangdong, this, compounded by other recent shipping events such as the Suez Canal blockage and shortage of shipping containers earlier in the year, indicates a slow turnaround as berthing times at ports last anywhere between twelve hours to sixteen days. With freight being piled on high to compensate for the force majeures, we can expect to see a definite impact come December.

A recent article published by the Independent Commodity Intelligence Service (ICIS) outlines how a lack of vaccinations across the globe can further exacerbate an already grim outlook on container freight. Sighting a preexisting uneven distribution of containers throughout the world’s supply chain, it continues to persist as ports shut down due to fluctuating Covid-19 cases. ICIS states that while container distribution was a delicate system before Covid-19, as countries have gone in and out of lockdowns, this balance has been repeatedly disrupted in ways that have been impossible to predict.