New research from Achilles has revealed a growing disconnect in the maritime transport sector, with supply chain risk rising while visibility across supplier networks fails to keep pace.
The survey found that three-quarters of maritime organisations report only partial, limited, or no visibility across their supply chains, while more than half expect supply chain risk to increase over the next 12 to 24 months.
Despite these concerns, most organisations reported that disruption has so far been relatively contained, typically describing it as minor or occasional. However, a small proportion have already experienced high-impact events, with costs exceeding US$10 million.
Disruption across key shipping routes, including instability in the Red Sea and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, has required organisations to reroute vessels, adjust schedules, and rely on different suppliers at short notice. Many organisations currently report only moderate confidence in their oversight of suppliers and subcontractors, particularly in higher-risk operations.
There is also growing interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) across procurement and supplier risk functions, with more than three-quarters of organisations exploring or piloting specific use cases to improve efficiency and support decision-making.
However, adoption remains in the early stages, and no organisations reported widespread deployment of the technology, which is currently focused on enhancing existing processes rather than transforming them.
“The data reflects a sector that has managed disruption relatively well to date but is operating in a more uncertain environment. As conditions change, the ability to understand supplier risk and make adjustments without increasing exposure becomes more important,” said Adam Whitfield, Head of Global Compliance and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Achilles.
“What we are seeing is that many organisations are still developing that level of confidence across their supply base.”
“There is clear interest in AI, but its role is still developing. For many organisations, the focus is on improving existing processes rather than fundamentally changing how supply chain decisions are made.”
The research notes that sustainability has become an established priority within the sector, achieving an average score of 7.4 out of 10, with most organisations implementing formal strategies. In contrast to other global industries, the primary drivers for these initiatives are customer expectations and carbon reduction goals rather than regulatory compliance.
