The Impact of Natural Disasters on Freight Shipping
In terms of economy, any country will always rely on the continuous transportation of goods and materials that keeps the relationship between suppliers and manufacturers in harmony. This process is very critical for maintaining economic growth because any moment of disruption could bring serious adverse effects. Some of these disruptions are caused by certain deregulations in the financial industry that are to some extent, quite avoidable. However, another thing that can affect a country’s economy is freight shipping, which can sometimes depend on several factors that unfortunately are beyond our control: natural disasters.
Speaking about natural disasters in the Philippines, the likes of floods, typhoons, and earthquakes, are quite common. These calamities typically leave most of the routes that are essential for freight shipping operations unsafe such as roads and seas. This reason is also why you should also be aware of the following ways of how nature can make a significant impact on freight shipping:
The Price of Fuel
One of the most critical prices to look out for when there’s a natural calamity going on is the price of fuel in the world market. Since the cost of most goods and other services are very much dependent on the value of fuel as the source of transportation, your chosen carrier can charge you more than usual. The worst-case scenario in this situation is when there’s a typhoon going on oil refineries strong enough to make it temporarily shut down due to damages.
The Expected Arrival of your Goods
Time is more than just gold in the world of business. Importing your goods in a faraway place requires a definite amount of time to keep up against competitors that are nearer than your target customer. Moreover, if you sell something that thrives on punctuality to retain its usefulness such as food, you should know by now that delayed delivery can ruin its condition. So, if you just shipped your goods during a storm, you better expect for the worse. Carriers tend to choose longer routes over the shorter ones if they find the latter impassable due to the dangers involved.
Refusal of Carriers to take your Cargo
Natural disasters will always make most carriers to be more vigilant to take anyone’s goods. Denial of your goods directly gives detrimental effects on your supply chain, eventually losing considerable revenues in the long run. Just imagine all of your business operations being halted in such a significant amount of time.
Freight Shipping Rates
Rates for freight shipping is always flexible especially on the event of calamities. A domino-effect will most likely happen until it makes its way for you. From the impassable roads making the fuel much more expensive to the delayed accomplishment of shipping service, most financial burdens will be passed into you.
Conclusion
As a business owner looking to ship your goods, anticipating natural disasters is a key for preventing any financial loses that can delay your company’s growth. Always take heed of the weather updates and recent news before making any move.
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