Key facts
- 72% of APAC logistics decision-makers report high exposure to tariff and duty changes.
- Operational challenges, including documentation and customs delays, are the most significant impacts of tariff changes.
- Most companies (71%) pass tariff-related costs to customers rather than implementing structural supply chain optimizations.
- Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India are identified as key multi-country supply chain hubs.
- AI is widely used for tariff forecasting (74%), but integration with compliance platforms is limited (47%).
Businesses in the Asia Pacific region are significantly challenged by tariff volatility, facing operational hurdles such as documentation complexities and customs delays, according to a new survey by Maersk and Statista+.
The survey of 260 logistics and supply chain decision-makers found that nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents are highly exposed to tariff changes, with the automotive, fashion, and retail sectors experiencing the most pressure. Key impacts include increased administrative workload, documentation issues, and customs clearance delays, followed by higher landed costs and shifts in sourcing or routing patterns.
Regulatory and documentation complexity is a major constraint when companies attempt to shift to new trade corridors within the region, affecting 93% of respondents. While most businesses can implement logistics adjustments within four weeks, the majority opt for short-term measures like passing costs to consumers (71%) rather than pursuing structural solutions such as optimizing export ports or consolidating shipments.
Structural repositioning, including reallocating capacity to APAC markets (30%) or shifting sourcing from China to ASEAN (21%), remains limited. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India have emerged as significant multi-country supply chain hubs over the past 12-24 months.
Limited visibility across supply chain nodes and partners hinders proactive decision-making, with 46% of respondents reporting insufficient monitoring capabilities to identify disruptions. Although AI adoption for tariff-related processes is high, with 74% using it for forecasting, its full impact is constrained by a lack of integration with trade compliance and customs platforms, achieved by only 47% of organizations.
Maersk recommends digitizing compliance infrastructure for better visibility, integrating AI into compliance platforms to unlock its value, and redesigning networks for long-term exposure reduction. Rohit Sinha, Regional Head of Customs, Asia Pacific, Maersk, advised a proactive approach to managing volatility, emphasizing that organizations with systems, data, and networks designed for volatility are better prepared.