A new Maersk study suggests tariff volatility has become a structural problem for Asia-Pacific supply chains, with companies increasingly forced to absorb higher compliance burdens rather than redesign their networks to avoid them.
The Blue Paper, produced with Statista+, surveyed 260 senior logistics and supply chain decision-makers across APAC and found that 72% describe themselves as highly or very highly exposed to tariff and duty changes. The pressure is most acute in auto...
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motive, where 95% of respondents report exposure, followed by fashion at 87% and retail at 84%.
According to Maersk, the consequences are showing up first in operations rather than strategy. Documentation problems were cited by 79% of respondents, 76% pointed to heavier administrative workloads and 70% said customs clearance delays were a major issue. Nearly half also said higher landed costs were a significant impact, while others reported sourcing shifts and reworked routing patterns. The study said 93% of companies see regulatory and documentation complexity as a barrier when entering new APAC trade corridors.
The report suggests most firms are responding tactically. Maersk found that 89% can make logistics adjustments within four weeks, but many are relying on short-term fixes. Around 71% pass extra costs on to customers, while fewer are pursuing measures such as alternative export ports, changing consolidation points or moving intra-APAC hubs. More ambitious steps, including shifting capacity towards APAC markets or moving sourcing from China to ASEAN countries, remain relatively rare despite offering more lasting tariff relief.
The study also highlights the growing importance of regional diversification. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and India have all become more prominent in multi-country supply chain set-ups over the past 12 to 24 months, reflecting a broader shift towards ASEAN-linked trade routes.
Visibility remains another weak point. Maersk said 46% of respondents lack real-time monitoring tools that would allow them to spot disruptions early, limiting the ability to act before costs escalate. That challenge appears to be pushing firms further towards digitisation, with the company arguing that compliance systems need to be better connected across networks, customs and trade data.
Artificial intelligence is already widely used, but the study warns that value is still being left on the table. Maersk said 74% of respondents are using AI for tariff forecasting and a further 26% are piloting it, yet only 47% have integrated AI with trade compliance and customs platforms. The implication, the company says, is that many organisations have adopted the tools but not yet embedded them deeply enough to convert analysis into operational advantage.
Rohit Sinha, Maersk’s regional head of customs for Asia-Pacific, said companies need to move beyond reactive tariff management. “As volatility becomes a structural feature of global trade, companies should move beyond short-term, reactive tariff management to a more proactive approach to managing exposure,” he said. “Those better prepared for future shifts are organisations whose systems, data, and networks are designed to manage volatility before it translates into cost.”
Maersk recommends that firms strengthen digital compliance infrastructure, link AI more closely with trade systems and redesign supply chains to reduce exposure over the longer term. In a region where tariff rules, customs processes and geopolitical tensions continue to shift, the report suggests resilience will depend less on absorbing shocks and more on building networks that can anticipate them.
Source: Noah Wire Services
