An Iran-aligned group has attacked ships in the Red Sea that it believes are heading to Israel, causing several companies to pause or divert shipments.
The container ship Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal in Egypt, viewed from the International Space Station.
NASA JSC ISS
Notable events — including the COVID-19 pandemic — have revealed the weaknesses in global supply chains. Companies need to ensure the resiliency of the manufacturing and distribution systems.
Modern supply chains have become very efficient, but that means disruptions of any kind can lead to delays and shortages.
The procession of ships in the Suez canal for its opening. Illustration from the magazine “The Illustrated London News, volume LV, November 18, 1869.
DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA/Getty Images
Prior to the mid-19th century, the Isthmus of Suez – the 125km strip of land that lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea – was a quiet spot.
Beachgoers near Cairo watch a massive container ship sail to the Red Sea.
AP Photo/Amr Nabil
A bottleneck in the global shipping network will accelerate the move to more local production and shorter supply chains.
The container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal on March 23, blocking the passage of other ships and causing a traffic jam for cargo vessels.
EPA-EFE/Media Suez Canal Head Office
Two big battles which turned the tide of World War II can tell us a great deal about some important present-day challenges.
British prime minister, Anthony Eden, and US president, Dwight Eisenhower, after a conference at the White House in 1956.
JR AP/Press Association Images