According to the Thomson Reuters 2026 Global Trade Report, nearly three-quarters of global trade professionals rank U.S. tariff volatility as the top regulatory challenge. A March 2026 Supreme Court ruling invalidated IEEPA-based tariffs, triggering immediate replacement with a 10% temporary tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Export controls and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) round out the top three cited challenges. Nearly 75% of respondents to Sphera’s 2026 Supply Chain Risk Report reported recent financial or operational losses from disruptions. Experts urge building 'decision muscle,' aligning supply chain with corporate strategy, leveraging logistics providers for AI-powered forecasting and digital control towers, and auditing Harmonized Tariff Codes — all grounded in real-time data sharing and regulatory vigilance.
According to www.inboundlogistics.com, nearly three-quarters of global trade professionals rank U.S. tariff volatility as the regulatory or customs change with the greatest impact — a finding drawn from the Thomson Reuters 2026 Global Trade Report. This volatility intensified following a Supreme Court ruling in early March 2026 that struck down widespread tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA); those were immediately replaced by a new 10% temporary tariff on many goods under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Tariffs Among Top Three Global Trade Challenges
Tariffs are not standing alone as a pressure point. The Thomson Reuters report identifies export controls and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as the other two top challenges cited by global trade professionals. Meanwhile, nearly 75% of respondents to Sphera’s The 2026 Supply Chain Risk Report reported financial or operational losses due to supply chain disruptions over the past 12 months.
Strategic Shifts in Supply Chain Leadership
As supply chain strategy gains strategic weight, it is increasingly tied to customer experience and cost control, according to Josh Steinetz, chief strategy officer of Auctane. To meet these goals, successful shippers embed flexibility into operations — adjusting carriers, shifting fulfillment strategies, and maintaining strong end-to-end visibility.
Eight Key Actions for Resilience
The article outlines 18 practical strategies; the following eight reflect core themes emphasized across the source:
- Develop decision muscle: Eugene Laney, president and CEO of the American Association of Exporters and Importers, stresses integrating compliance, finance, legal, and government affairs experts to assess risk and opportunity — a capability termed “decision muscle.”
- Align supply chain and corporate strategy: Matthias Hodel, global head, customer development, integrated logistics, with Kuehne + Nagel, notes alignment creates a common framework for technology, network design, and partner selection.
- Leverage logistics providers: Chris McCarney, consulting leader, supply chain and procurement with KPMG US, highlights their role in multimodal optimization, customs compliance support, real-time visibility, scenario modeling, AI-powered forecasting, and digital control towers.
- Build strong provider relationships: Sharing accurate, real-time data — forecasts, inventory, compliance documentation — enables proactive operation by logistics partners.
- Maintain areas of differentiation in-house: Hodel advises focusing internal resources on capabilities that differentiate the business, while outsourcing where external partners add maximum value.
- Pay attention to details: Doug Sampson, chief commercial officer of Acme Distribution Centers, underscores reviewing Harmonized Tariff Codes (HTCs) regularly; shifting trade routes — e.g., shipping goods from Taiwan or China into Canada and then into the U.S. — may legally reduce tariff rates, provided all regulations are met.
- Keep an open mind: Exploring tools like foreign trade zones (FTZs) can yield duty deferral or elimination benefits, though they require upfront structuring — such as importing components duty-free, assembling domestically, and exporting finished goods.
- Monitor regulatory evolution: The rapid shift post-Supreme Court ruling illustrates how quickly tariff frameworks can change — requiring continuous tracking of statutes like Section 122 and evolving interpretations of origin rules, Incoterms, and CBAM implementation timelines.
For supply chain professionals, these actions translate into concrete daily practices: auditing HTS classifications quarterly, embedding tariff exposure metrics into procurement scorecards, co-developing routing scenarios with 3PLs, and assigning cross-functional tariff response teams. With U.S. trade policy now operating under heightened judicial and legislative scrutiny, agility is no longer optional — it is embedded in compliance execution.
Source: www.inboundlogistics.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
