When weather strikes, shipping can be impacted in a variety of ways – most notably, shipments tend to experience unexpected delays as the weather creates disaster situations or otherwise slows down commerce.
Weather-related situations may include:
- Snow storms
- Microburst winds
- Floods
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Earthquakes
- Other types of natural disasters
Because the system is a connected network, shipments both inside and outside of immediate disaster areas can be impacted by weather. Depending on the situation, these will likely include:
- Service interruptions for shipments to or from affected areas
- Inability to perform pickups or deliveries in affected areas
- Ports may be closed
- Freight may have been hastily evacuated to other areas for safe-keeping
- Delays for shipments passing through affected areas
- Operational centers in affected areas may be unable to handle freight
- Freight may be backlogged on the dock, unable to move
- Equipment may be stranded, delaying the delivery of freight
- Rising nationwide fuel prices caused by damaged or closed refineries, resulting in higher fuel surcharges