Typhoon Kong-rey, a powerful tropical storm currently moving northwest across the Pacific, is set to impact southern Taiwan and disrupt the broader logistics network across Asia in the coming days. As of early Wednesday, local authorities report that Kong-rey is near Taiwan’s southeastern coast, close to Cape Eluanbi, carrying winds of up to 173 km/h. Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) has issued typhoon warnings for multiple counties, primarily in southern and eastern Taiwan, which includes areas sparsely populated yet critical to Taiwan’s agricultural exports and some petrochemical facilities.
While major petrochemical plants have reported minimal disruptions thus far, significant rainfall and heavy wind advisories are in place for the northern coast of Keelung and mountainous regions around Taipei, where landslides could cause transport bottlenecks, especially for logistics companies operating in and around Greater Taipei. With a landfall projected around Hualien County on October 31, Kong-rey could further strain regional logistics, particularly affecting the shipping lanes and intermodal freight routes across the Taiwan Strait.
The storm is expected to cross Taiwan and weaken before reaching China’s Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. However, from October 30 through November 1, heavy rainfall and severe weather could impact the eastern coast of China, including key logistics hubs like Shanghai and southern Jiangsu. For logistics firms in Asia, the upcoming days may bring substantial delays and possible rerouting of shipments, especially those reliant on the Taiwan Strait for transit.
On the maritime side, Taiwan’s Coast Guard recently conducted a rescue mission to evacuate 17 crew members from the Yuzhou Qihang, a heavily loaded Chinese cargo ship that became stranded near Yehliu, New Taipei City. The vessel, loaded with large bridge cranes, was forced to anchor only 0.6 nautical miles from shore as high waves prevented it from advancing. The abandonment of the vessel highlights the heightened risks for cargo ships navigating the Taiwan Strait during typhoons, potentially causing further delays for goods in transit between Taiwan and mainland China.
President Lai Ching-te has cautioned residents and businesses to avoid coastal and mountainous areas, while officials have advised local fishers to secure their vessels. Given the frequency of typhoons in the region, such storms underscore the critical need for contingency planning in Asia’s logistics sector, especially for industries heavily reliant on the region’s maritime routes.
As Typhoon Kong-rey nears, logistics providers across Asia are taking proactive steps to navigate potential disruptions, especially in key transit zones like the Taiwan Strait. Though typhoon season is nearly over, Kong-rey serves as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather and the importance of flexible routing strategies to protect supply chains.”
