Global supply strains that started to ease in early 2022 are worsening again as headwinds strengthen from the war in Ukraine and China’s Covid lockdowns, threatening slower growth and faster inflation across the global economy.

Ocean cargo handlers are scrambling for solutions to the congestion that continues to plague major U.S. container ports, especially Los Angeles and Long Beach. But the ultimate answer might lie in something beyond their control: time.

Factories from Australia to Europe are seeing already surging costs jump further as Russia’s war in Ukraine and the barrage of sanctions rolled out in response roil commodity markets and trade.

The last global shock drove businesses everywhere to rethink supply chain risk and resilience, but many have yet to take action. This time, it may be different.

Today’s organizations need to take action to fortify their supply chains. But how to do it is still up for debate.

The $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal doubled its capacity in 2016, allowing the world’s largest cargo ships to sail more easily to America’s East Coast from Asia. Now, one of those giant vessels has been stuck near the U.S. capital for more than a week.

Here are three key areas where companies can start.

The Biden administration’s launch last week of its Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) initiative has left a number of supply chain data experts scratching their heads.

Evergreen Marine Corp. has hired the company that freed the giant container ship Ever Given last year when it ran aground for almost a week, disrupting global trade for months, to do the same with its vessel stranded near the U.S. capital.