How to Shift from Reactive to Proactive This Year

What’s inside?
Geopolitical tensions, technological shifts, and supply chain volatility are persistent challenges, forcing organizations to rethink their strategies. But with every challenge comes opportunity.
Based on insights from Windward’s 2025 Top Trends in Global Trade report, this blog post explores how those who can anticipate and adapt to disruptions – whether due to shifting trade routes, labor disputes, or extreme weather – will not only weather the storm, but emerge stronger. The ability to move from reactive to proactive decision-making will define success.
From Uncertainty to Opportunity
Uncertainty is here to stay, due to geopolitical events and accompanying risk mitigation strategies, supply chain volatility, and change created by emerging technologies. The good news is that opportunities often arise from crises…
For instance, bunkering organizations who were the first to know about trade routes that changed due to the Houthis attacks in the Red Sea were able to capitalize.
Organizations can’t be proactive if they do not know what’s coming around the corner. Unknown unknowns pop up, seemingly out of nowhere, and will likely create new headaches this year for traders and shippers, supply chain and logistics organizations, and government agencies.
That’s why early detection will be imperative in 2025. Automatic warnings for major disruptions and potential threats, while there is still time to act, can optimize organizations’ decision-making offering insights on behavioral outliers, new risk profiles, targets, and emerging trends in real time. This results in informed strategic planning and proactive measures.
Early detection paired with Gen AI can provide immediate context and explainability, plus insights and recommendations for action, on emerging trends. Expect this to be a popular technology combination for achieving proactivity and agility in 2025.
Choosing Off a “Risk Menu” Will be Out in 2025
Each trading and shipping organization has its own risk appetite and preference. Customization is important for increasing accuracy and efficiency, but today’s stakeholders can only select predefined settings or parameters from a menu. A truly configurable approach enables organizations to define and apply individual risk parameters that resonate with their specific needs, and in a sea of disruptions, to be alerted regarding the risks that matter to their bottom line.
Supply Chain Volatility Will Continue
2024 was another volatile year for the supply chain, which impacted every level of global trade: planning, operations, billing, storage, etc.
Labor disputes, such as the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike in 2024, took a heavy toll. These disputes, centered on the integration of automated tools, highlight the tension between efficiency gains and labor concerns. Automation is expected to play a transformative role this year, with AI-driven systems streamlining cargo handling and monitoring, increasing visibility, and reducing turnaround times.
Natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change, continue to disrupt supply chains. Typhoon Super Yagi, which was described as “the strongest typhoon in a decade,” tragically claimed many lives and significantly impacted the global economy.
In 2024, hurricanes and other extreme weather events caused over $15 billion in supply chain disruptions, highlighting the need for predictive analytics and contingency planning. Unfortunately, extreme weather events are increasing in intensity and frequency.
The Houthi attacks elongated global trade routes, raising prices, and stretching voyage times.
Events like these will surely also occur this year, unfortunately. This will necessitate advanced visibility to foresee events, with the proper context and enough time to prepare and adapt. Organizations can understand in advance how events will specifically affect them, and be proactive about detention and demurrage (D&D) charges, end-customer visibility, and customer satisfaction.
The Path to Success
Expect challenges and opportunities for organizations across the maritime, trading, and supply chain landscapes this year. By embracing technologies, like early detection systems and Gen AI, businesses can turn uncertainty into a competitive advantage. Proactive strategies that provide real-time insights and tailored risk management will no longer be a luxury – they will be a necessity. The shift from reactive to proactive isn’t just an aspiration – it’s the key to thriving in a future marked by continuous disruption.
Check out our 2025 trends report for more insights like these.