How a Volcano in Africa Can Disrupt Supply Chains in India, China, and Across the World
When volcanic ash enters these skies, it doesn’t just disrupt aircraft. It disrupts economies.
A single ash plume can trigger: • Rerouted air cargo • Flight cancellations • Delayed shipments • Production stoppages • Higher freight and operating costs
What starts in Africa becomes a supply challenge in Asia and a cost escalation across Europe and the Middle East.
Modern supply chains are lean and tightly synchronized. This makes them efficient and extremely vulnerable.
Disruptions are inevitable.
But the impact depends on the capabilities of the people managing the supply chain. Technology matters, but in critical moments it is the judgment and agility of supply chain professionals that determine whether an organization bends or breaks.
And this isn’t a new conversation. One World, One Supply Chain. This was the theme of our Flagship event IPSC, International Procurement and Supply Chain Conference, 2021 in Dubai during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was relevant then, during one of the greatest supply chain disruptions in modern history. It is relevant now.
And it will continue to be relevant in the future. Building the Capability That Matters Organizations don’t just need systems. They need people who can anticipate, adapt, and navigate uncertainty.
At Blue Ocean, we prepare supply chain professionals to: • Think beyond borders • Understand global interdependencies • Build alternate routes and risk mitigation strategies • Strengthen forecasting and scenario planning • Lead during uncertainty • Turn disruptions into opportunities
Volcanoes will erupt. Weather will change. Geopolitics will shift.
But the organizations that thrive will be the ones that put capable people at the center of their supply chain strategy.
Because true resilience is not built in systems. It is built in people.