Learning from Hurricane Maria: Island ports and supply chain resilience

Abstract

The restoration of supply chain operations is critical to disaster recovery. When supply chains are disrupted by catastrophic events, island communities encounter problems with response and recovery different from their continental counterparts. Isolation, limited port capacity, lack of alternative facilities and dependence on imports increase the vulnerability of island communities. A focus on islands sheds light on broader challenges related to disaster risk reduction and resilience. This paper addresses these challenges in three ways. First, it connects the literature on supply chain management to disaster risk, recovery, and resilience. Second, it illustrates the unique vulnerabilities of island supply chains by examining two island communities - Puerto Rico and Hawai’i. They are exposed to similar hazards and threats including geographic isolation. Third, it offers key tactical, operational, and strategic actions on supply chain resilience based on the experiences from Hurricane Maria’s impacts on Puerto Rico, directed toward emergency managers and planners working not just in island communities, but other isolated locations. A key lesson involves the importance of communications and coordination in restoring lifelines, networks, and social relations following disasters.