Shippers are actively preparing for changes in tariffs and trade policy through steps like analyzing their existing customs data, identifying alternative suppliers, and re-evaluating their cross-border strategies, according to research from logistics provider C.H. Robinson.
They are acting now because survey results show that shippers say the top risk to their supply chains in 2025 is changes in tariffs and trade policy. And nearly 50% say the uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy is already a pain point for them today, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said.
In a move to answer those concerns, C.H. Robinson says it has been working with its clients by running risk scenarios, building and implementing contingency plans, engineering and executing tariff solutions, and increasing supply chain diversification and agility.
“Having visibility into your full supply chain is no longer a nice-to-have. In 2025, visibility is a competitive differentiator and shippers without the technology and expertise to support real-time data and insights, contingency planning, and quick action will face increased supply chain risks,” Jordan Kass, President of C.H. Robinson Managed Solutions, said in a release.
The company’s survey showed that shippers say the top five ways they are planning for those risks: identifying where they can switch sourcing to save money, analyzing customs data, evaluating cross-border strategies, running risk scenarios, and lowering their dependence on Chinese imports.
President of C.H. Robinson Global Forwarding, Mike Short, said: “In today’s uncertain shipping environment, shippers are looking for ways to reduce their susceptibility to events that impact logistics but are out of their control. By diversifying their supply chains, getting access to the latest information and having a global supply chain partner able to flex with their needs at a moment’s notice, shippers can gain something they don’t always have when disruptions and policy changes occur--options.”
