Industry looks to shield itself from trade wars, inflation, possible recession
More than 62% of logistics industry professionals say they’ve overhauled their supply chains in an effort to safeguard against inflation, looming trade tariffs, the possibility of a global economic downturn and other major risks.
‘The supply chain industry is entering a new era in which the ability to respond to macro-economic and geopolitical events will be critical. The looming prospect of tariffs and trade wars will force shippers to re-evaluate the resilience of their production, off-shoring and sourcing strategies and it will be imperative for logistics providers to respond appropriately in a timely and effective manner’ says Ti CEO, John Manners-Bell.
Entering 2025, the logistics industry is looking to protect itself from rising costs and a potential trade war ignited by expected U.S. tariff hikes and a flood of exports from China, according to a survey of 567 executives for the 2025 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index.
Nearly 55% of respondents see a global recession as likely or certain. Almost 82% say tariffs and other trade protectionism are having a significant impact on their supply chains. Seventy-two percent say risks in emerging markets have increased over the past year.
“There is wariness and uncertainty among shippers, carriers, forwarders and others when it comes to the geopolitical factors that drive up costs, affect trade volumes, and alter supply chains,” says Agility Vice Chairman Tarek Sultan. “Companies doing business internationally continue to shift production as they re-evaluate investment plans and search for durable paths to growth.” …
About The Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index
To assess and understand logistics and supply chain trends and their effects on 50 of the world’s most promising emerging logistics markets, the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index examines four key areas for logistics market development:
It presents a data-driven analysis of 50 of the world’s most promising emerging logistics markets, reflecting the complexity, connectedness and opportunities each market provides.
Now in it’s 16th year, the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index, offers the same 50-country ranking and hot-topic survey of supply chain and logistics executives as past editions. However, it differs in one regard: the 2025 Index analysis focuses extensively on the change underway in the six Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Download the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index here.
Author: Ti/Agility
Source: Ti/Agility
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2025 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index
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