Freight Disruption Management Playbook:

Navigating Tariffs & Strikes at Southeastern Ports

Southeastern ports are critical gateways for domestic and international supply chains.

When disruptions hit, whether from sudden tariff changes or labor strikes, the impact on port operations, transportation, storage, and order fulfillment can ripple across industries. This is why a robust Freight Disruption Management Playbook is a must-have for importers, exporters, manufacturers, distributors, and everyone in between. At TCW, Inc., we’ve turned decades of experience into actionable strategies and real-world solutions.

Why Disruptions Matter: Risk Scenarios

Key Threats to Southeastern Freight Flows

• Labor Actions (Strikes, Slowdowns): Can halt vessel and cargo flow, creating extensive delays and congestion at ports and across inland networks.
• Tariff Changes: Trigger cargo surges as companies race to beat deadlines, strain customs and warehouse capacity, and spike costs if deadlines are missed.

These disruptions clog transport corridors, fill warehouses and yards, and risk production stoppages or missed market opportunities.

The Preparedness Checklist

Here’s how smart organizations keep disruption at bay:

• Map out primary and backup ports
• Build relationships with multiple carriers, drayage, and logistics partners
• Secure overflow warehousing and cross-dock options
• Assign a rapid-response disruption team
• Subscribe to official port, labor, and tariff alerts

Proactive Strategies for Every Stakeholder

• Importers/Exporters: Negotiate flexible ocean bookings, buffer lead times, digitize customs documents, and build in supply chain slack ahead of risk windows.

• Manufacturers/Warehouses: Arrange overflow storage, prep for “just-in-case” inventory, and cross-dock support for surges.

• Distributors: Develop multimodal fallback plans, use predictive analytics for demand shifts, and collaborate on visibility platforms with third-party partners.

Mastering Communication & Contingency

A well-oiled crisis communication plan saves days and dollars.

• Establish a detailed crisis contact tree
• Schedule status updates during disruptions
• Pre-build customer notification templates
• Empower teams to make on-the-fly transport decisions

Choosing the Right Logistics Partner

Success hinges on a partner who:

• Knows southeastern ports, regulations, and logistical bottlenecks
• Owns or can quickly access additional equipment and labor
• Offers real-time shipment visibility and transparency
• Has a track record for keeping freight moving—even under stress

Technology Matters

Arm your team with:

• Transportation Management System (TMS) for contingency planning
• Real-time location and ETA tech (GPS/IoT)
• Supply chain dashboards for rapid risk detection
• Live feeds from ports, labor boards, and government for immediate response

Case Studies: Disruption Response in Action

Beating the Tariff Clock

When an automotive manufacturer’s inventory raced against a looming tariff spike, TCW pulled capacity from several OpCenters to expedite delivery. Result: over $4.9M in tariff savings and $700K+ in demurrage avoided.

Relief for Warehouse & Yard Overflow

Facing a flood of pre-tariff inventory with storage maxed out, TCW stored surplus containers at an OpCenter and implemented a staged delivery strategy—saving $260K in per diem and $53K in chassis rentals in just 4 weeks.

Navigating Port Strikes

For a manufacturer tangled in ILA labor action, TCW rerouted shipments via alternate OpCenters and managed export holding seamlessly until the strike cleared, resulting in zero production or labor interruption.

Rapid Export When Tariffs Ease

An exporter with postponed China orders used TCW to store loaded containers. Once the trade climate improved, TCW terminated shipments immediately—earning clients the first space on every ocean service and reducing holding costs.

Helpful Resources

• Port Status: Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Mobile
• NOAA National Hurricane Center
• Journal of Commerce
• Contact TCW, Inc.

About TCW

Since 1948, TCW, Inc. has built a legacy of reliability, safety, and innovation—serving importers, exporters, manufacturers, and distributors throughout the Southeast with agile drayage, dedicated carriage, warehousing, and logistics solutions. Our network of OpCenters, tech-forward systems, and experienced team make us your go-to partner for disruption management.

Ready to Manage Any Disruption?

Contact TCW today to review your supply chain resilience and put our experience to work for you.

For more insights on container delivery, drayage strategies, and regulatory freight planning, contact one of our solution specialists today.

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