Forwarders are increasingly worried about the impact of a series of storms striking the southern US, even as concerns over last week’s port strike begin to subside.

Read also: ALAN Mobilizes for Hurricane Milton as Supply Chain Prepares for Another Major Storm

While dockworkers agreed to pause their strike for further negotiations, the three-day disruption on the east and Gulf coasts initially raised fears of severe supply chain delays. However, thanks to proactive measures like front-loading goods before the strike, its impact appears to have been minimal.

Jackson Campos, corporate director at Brazil-based AGL Cargo, shared: “Our average delay has been about a week, but in some cases, we’ve seen faster deliveries. We anticipated the strike and moved goods early, but even those in transit during the strike arrived on time.”

However, Campos is more concerned about the ongoing hurricane season. After Hurricane Helene struck Florida and Georgia in late September, multiple ports closed, and airports experienced significant delays. Now, with Hurricane Milton — one of the strongest storms in nearly a century — wreaking havoc across Florida, the situation has grown dire.

The storm left millions without power, closed ports like Jacksonville, and caused widespread damage through floods and winds exceeding 150 mph. Airports such as Miami remain operational, but delays are expected. Atlanta, recently impacted by last month’s hurricane, is being used as an alternative route for cargo normally destined for Miami.

Campos added: “These weather events are much more worrisome than the recent strikes. While we’ve been able to reroute goods, the scale and frequency of these storms present a far greater challenge.”

Emergency responders are currently working to reopen highways and restore power to affected areas, but the fallout from this powerful storm is expected to linger.

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