Elevated supply chain stress in 2025 is carrying into 2026, increasing execution risk for procurement teams even as global trade grows.
Supply chains remain under pressure as elevated stress in 2025 carries into 2026. The World Bank’s Global Supply Chain Stress Index tracks congestion and friction in container shipping, while global trade growth reflects underlying demand conditions. Recent data show that trade continues to grow even as supply chain stress remains high.
The implication for procurement leaders is practical, not strategic: higher stress raises execution, cost and reliability risks, but it does not call for a reset of growth or sourcing strategy. The priority in 2026 is disciplined execution (supplier engagement, contract management, cost control and resilience) rather than over-reactive restructuring.
Also by ANDAMAN PARTNERS:
ANDAMAN PARTNERS supports international business ventures and growth. We help launch global initiatives and accelerate successful expansion across borders. If your business, operations or project requires cross-border support, contact connect@andamanpartners.com.

ANDAMAN PARTNERS Attended the Australia Governance Summit 2026 in Sydney
ANDAMAN PARTNERS Co-Founder Kobus van der Wath attended the Australia Governance Summit (AGS26) in Sydney, Australia.

ANDAMAN PARTNERS Wishes You a Happy and Prosperous Year of the Horse!
Compliments of the Chinese Lunar New Year to all our clients, customers, suppliers and partners.

ANDAMAN PARTNERS to Attend Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town
ANDAMAN PARTNERS Co-Founders Kobus van der Wath and Rachel Wu will attend Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.

China’s Trade Engine Accelerates in 2026 on Industrial Strength and Global Breadth
Broad-based growth across partners and sectors, led by machinery and transport equipment, signals renewed strength in China’s export engine.

Asia’s Growth Engines: Scale, Speed and Opportunity Across Regions
Asia’s scale, speed and integration are no longer concentrated in a single core, but spread across multiple, complementary engines.

China Extends Its Dominance in Global Shipbuilding as Output Surges in 2026
Even as global ship orders declined in 2025, early-2026 data shows a rapid rebound, with China securing the vast majority of new contracts.