​In celebration of International Women’s Day month, I wanted to share a few shout-outs to some amazing women working in cross-border trade who have been my mentors, bosses, clients, colleagues, friends and co-workers over the years. These are only some of the many extraordinary women I have crossed paths with who have helped and inspired me, contributing ultimately to TradeMoves’ success over the past twenty years. A big thank you to these incredible women and cheers to all the accomplished women out there helping trade move!

• Lisa Maher, trade guru formerly with Chrysler and its many iterations, was my first boss in DC. As a newbie, I learned a great deal from her about government relations, advocacy and advancing trade priorities. She was tough but fair and always saw a solution amongst the noise.
• Marietta Bernot, affectionately known as “The Chocolate Lady”, took me on as her first employee of the-then new US-EU trade advisory joint venture with EPPA, a pan-European public affairs firm. In our office work room, she put up a plaque that said: “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” Given her role in helping companies negotiate market access before the WTO and USMCA eased trade facilitation, this hit it on the head. I worked for her for nearly ten years and learned not only about trade, but how to run a small business and the importance of high-quality deliverables for your clients.
• Mary Latimer, a master negotiator, became a client upon leaving USTR and underscored the importance of persistence, details matter, coordination and collaboration are key to advancing trade priorities, and that people, planet and profit must move in sync for global supply chains to work for all stakeholders. She included me as a thought partner on strategy and I appreciate her pushing me to think outside the box in tackling issues.
•  Sandra Benson was first a colleague when we both worked for Marietta, and then became a client. She is one of the smartest people in this town on regulatory issues, and lives in the weeds of the many facets of tariffs, TRQs, SPS issues, import requirements, health certificates and the intricacies of moving US dairy products to markets around the world. In addition, she is one of the kindest people in DC and always willing to share her insights and expertise with the younger generation of TradeMoves analysts. 
•  Alison Bodor, Karen Horan and Laura Shumow are three kick-@$$ women who have supported TradeMoves from its first days. Their expertise in food and ag, championing US exports, encouraging import policies that support US domestic manufacturing, and encouraging TradeMoves’ growth is forever appreciated.
• Lisa Schroeter, one of the first of my generation of women in trade that I met here in DC, and one of the savviest on trade policy that I know. Cutting our teeth on trade through (the now-defunct) TABD was an amazing master class on US-EU industry cooperation and B2G relations on both sides of the pond. Lisa’s passion to pay it forward through her involvement in WIIT and to support the next-gen of trade gurus is much admired.
• Tiffany Smith is a kindred spirit. While our paths initially only crossed a bit on trade, we became fast friends through our love of wine and through a network of friends. Tiffany’s command of trade issues, policy considerations and strategic thinking make her stand out and I appreciate her friendship, knowledge and mentorship as I learned the ropes on being a cleared advisor to the USG in my early days of TradeMoves.
• Megan Giblin is synonymous with “customs policy guru”, working at the intersection of trade policy and customs operations to facilitate trade and ensure secure supply chains for her phenomenal rolodex (okay, LinkedIn) of connections in business, government and institutions around the world. She and I were introduced by a long-time friend and colleague, Jeff Bensing, and whenever we are together, laughter fills the time.
• Melissa Kessler is a unicorn – trade policy expert, passionate advocate for US ag, AND a strategic and organizational design wizard. I first met Melissa when she was my client contact for a USDA-funded project. I got to work with her on showcasing how USDA cooperators were implementing new and innovative ways to connect with customers and consumers in export markets. In returning to her roots, she is now an advisor to our TradeMoves’ team as we look to build and grow over the next 20 years and her insights and recommendations are invaluable to our transition.
• Kim Benson, Candace Chen, Sharon Freeman and Karyn Page are four of the most amazing women in international trade AND small business owners/leaders who work tirelessly to promote opportunities for companies of all sizes to take advantage of growth markets around the world. They have each acted as Chair for the ITAC for Small Business, leading with grace, passion, wisdom and energy that I strive for in my career.
• Christina Sevilla is a relentless champion for US small businesses and exporters. As a member of the ITAC for Small Business, I had the pleasure of working with Christina in her role at USTR for over a decade, sharing thoughts and ideas to help advance US trade policy and ensure it works for small businesses; thank you for all you do and have done to ensure SMEs have the resources and support they need to compete in foreign markets. 
• Jackie Smith knows food policy, regulatory affairs, public affairs and the European Union like no other person I know. I was lucky enough to work with Jackie through many different firms and client relationships and have always found her counsel on technical trade issues and strategy to be no-nonsense, impactful and spot on. Clients adore her! The best part, we always laughed, and it seemed the tougher the issue, the greater our sense of humor ratcheted up to tackle what lay ahead.
• Beth Johnson is a nutrition policy wonk and Dulce Zahniser a trade finance wonk. Wonk is simply the word “know” spelled backwards and their knowledge in running their own consulting firms and providing expert advice to U.S. exporters is unmatched in their respective fields of expertise and experience. Our partnership with each of them has allowed us to expand our knowledge in nutrition policy and trade finance, respectively, and better service our clients on their cross-border trade strategies. 
• Anna Helm is a professor at my MBA alma mater whose passion for international business and education have made her the go-to person for identifying trade analysts to join our firm. As an alum, it was an honor to serve on the Advisory Board to the GW Center for International Business and Education Research (GW CIBER) under her leadership and guidance. I appreciate all she does to pay it forward for the up-and-coming students pursuing careers in international trade, cross-border business and global supply chains.

Feting these incredible women (and more!) who have shaped my career, our team and our firm is one of the best ways to celebrate our anniversary. In coming months, I look forward to celebrating TradeMoves’ alumni who have launched their careers from TradeMoves and are continuing to work in various aspects of cross-border trade.

Shawn Marie Jarosz
Chief Trade Strategist

Global supply chains are dynamic and complex. 2024 highlighted the persistence and evolution of challenges that tested global supply chain resilience. From escalating geopolitical tensions to labor disputes and climate-induced disruptions, these events continue to shape the global trade landscape. Below is an overview of key drivers behind disruptions and ongoing implications for industries, businesses, and consumers worldwide.

Geopolitical Tensions: Ongoing geopolitical strain between major economies such as the U.S., China, and Russia has resulted in increased trade barriers and sanctions.

• The Russia-Ukraine war has exacerbated challenges in the global supply chain and resulted in disrupted logistics, energy crisis, food insecurity, and inflation. ·
• Geopolitical strife between China and Taiwan, marked by persistent trade restrictions and military activities, has hindered the flow of global maritime trade across the Taiwan Strait, which handled 20% of international trade—valued at $2.45 trillion—in 2022. These conflicts have created restricted access to essential materials, heightened transportation risks, and sudden shifts in trade policy compelling companies to consider geopolitics a top priority for supply chain resilience.
• The humanitarian crisis and regional instability of the Gaza Conflict has led to delays at key regional ports and tightened security measures affecting global shipping logistics. The conflict has especially impacted energy markets, with heightened concerns about oil supply disruptions in the Middle East. Due to the Houthi attacks, vessels are being rerouted to new trade lanes, especially costlier ones around Africa, to avoid the Red Sea/Suez Canal. These diversions have increased transit times, shipping costs, and supply chain delays.

Labor Strikes and Workforce Challenges:

• In October, the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) strike disrupted 36 ports from Maine to Texas, halting the flow of goods and threatening shortages of items from bananas to auto parts. The strike, estimated to cost the U.S. economy $4.5 billion weekly, created delays that reverberated through global supply chains. Although operations resumed after a tentative agreement was made, if a permanent agreement is not concluded, more strikes will occur, and shippers will face residual impacts such as terminal closures or reduced operational capacity.
• Labor strikes also paralyzed Canadian ports, including the Port of Vancouver, which handles about 15% of Canada’s total trade. The disruption affected key exports, including coal and forestry products, halting shipments valued at over $932 million daily.
• EU farmer strikes over influx of cheaper Ukrainian agricultural imports and stricter environmental regulations—Green Deal, disrupted European, regional and global agricultural supply chains.

Natural Disasters and Climate Change: Increased natural disasters—hurricanes, floods, and wildfires—have directly impacted supply chains.

• Severe drought in early to mid-2024 drastically lowered Panama Canal water levels, imposing vessel restrictions, delaying shipments, and driving up rerouting costs.
• Unpredictable weather patterns linked to El Niño—such as droughts in some regions and flooding in others—have led to global food supply chain insecurity by reducing the output of essential commodities/ingredients. For instance, Morocco’s cereal farmers have experienced reduced production due to prolonged drought, while excessive rain and flooding damaged sugar crops in Australia.

Various players throughout supply chains will be in both reactive and proactive mode to address and mitigate these challenges.

• Port Operations: Major shipping hubs like the ports of Los Angeles and those along the East and Gulf Coasts are grappling with backlogs driven by rising shipment volumes and labor shortages. Rising shipment volumes in 2024 have been caused by a combination of factors, including a rebound in global trade activity as economies recover from pandemic-related slowdowns, increased e-commerce demand, and stockpiling by companies to mitigate risks from geopolitical tensions and supply chain uncertainties.
• Shipping Companies: Shipping companies have faced substantial operational challenges in 2024. With limited container capacity and heightened demand, freight rates have soared, as evidenced by the sharp rise in the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index. Rerouting trade lanes to avoid congested or politically unstable regions, such as the Taiwan Strait and the Middle East, has increased transit times and operational costs. Severe drought affecting the Panama Canal compounded these challenges, as vessel size and transit restrictions forced companies to find alternative, more expensive routes, further straining profitability. This has prompted many companies to explore insurance policies as a means of mitigating risks associated with these alternative routes, helping to safeguard against potential financial losses.
• Manufacturing Companies: Manufacturers have struggled to maintain operations amidst these disruptions. Delays at ports and rising shipping costs have hindered their ability to secure raw materials and components on time. Many have shifted from Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory strategies to Just-in-Case (JIC) models to build inventory buffers, but this shift has increased carrying costs and tied up capital that could otherwise be used for operational efficiency or investment in innovation.
• Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): For SMEs, the delays of port operations are more than an inconvenience; they can disrupt cash flow and inventory management, as smaller businesses often lack the buffer resources to weather extended supply chain delays. Stricter port scheduling and the ripple effects throughout supply chains have compelled SMEs to reevaluate their logistics strategies, sometimes at a significant cost. As larger companies often have more resources to absorb such delays, smaller businesses lack the same buffer, making them more vulnerable to extended disruptions. The rising costs of shipping put further financial strain on SMEs, which often operate on tighter margins. Additionally, the shift in inventory strategies has increased operational costs for SMEs, tying up capital that could otherwise be used for growth or innovation. These businesses are also struggling with increased warehousing needs and limited logistical infrastructure, further compounding the challenges they face in remaining competitive.
• Consumers: Consumers have felt the impact of these supply chain disruptions through higher prices and reduced availability of goods. Essential goods like food have seen sharp price increases, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, which disrupted wheat, corn, and sunflower oil exports and pushed up the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index. Labor disputes, such as those on the U.S. East Coast, have driven up wages as workers demand better pay and benefits in response to inflation and challenging working conditions; these wage increases have significantly raised costs for businesses, which are ultimately passed along to consumers. As a result, global inflation has surged, straining household budgets and reducing purchasing power.

As these issues persist, the need for proactive measures such as diversifying trade networks and fostering resilience has become more critical than ever, particularly for U.S. businesses and SMEs. The Department of Commerce’s Supply Chain Center (SCC) plays a pivotal role in enhancing supply chain resilience by providing critical support to businesses navigating these complexities. The Supply Chain Summit, held on September 10, 2024, brought together leaders from government, industry, and academia to collaborate on actionable strategies and share best practices for building robust supply chain frameworks. For those interested in strengthening their role within resilient supply chains, we encourage you to explore the highlights of the event and learn more about SCC’s initiatives through the links provided above.