NSQ 2 digital - Flipbook - Page 22
Energy,
Costs, and
Resilience
What has changed in the financial
model of Nearshoring
By Samuel Ortiz
The recent escalation of tensions in the
Middle East has once again brought
something back into focus that many
organizations had stopped factoring into their
operating models: geographic distance can
also become a financial risk. For years,
globalization allowed companies to structure
their supply chains under relatively stable
assumptions. Maritime transport costs were
predictable, energy prices moved within
moderate ranges, and international trade
routes operated with few structural
disruptions. That environment is no longer as
stable as it once was.
When the geopolitical context becomes
uncertain, variables that for a long time
seemed secondary begin to directly affect
companies' operating costs. Energy is
probably the most visible of these.
Global trade depends on several critical
energy routes. One of the most important is
the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime corridor
through which approximately 20 percent of
the world's seaborne oil supply passes,
according to estimates from the U.S. Energy
Information Administration. The stability of
this geographic point directly influences the
price of energy used by industries,
transportation networks, and global logistics
systems.
When tensions emerge in this region, energy
markets react quickly. In various episodes of
geopolitical volatility, oil prices have recorded
fluctuations exceeding 20 percent within
relatively short periods. These shifts do not
remain confined to the energy market; they
eventually translate into higher international
transportation costs.Maritime shipping is
particularly sensitive to these changes. Cargo
vessels operate with significant fuel
consumption, and energy represents a
substantial portion of total freight costs. When
oil prices increase—or when maritime routes
face additional risks—transportation rates
tend to adjust accordingly. And fuel is not the
only factor involved. Other dynamics also
20
Digital Edition
MARCH 2026
