Weathering the Storm: How Typhoon-Induced Airport Closures Are Shaping the Logistics Future for Vietnamese SMEs

Vietnam’s bustling economy has long been the envy of Southeast Asia—a nation where supply chains power both domestic growth and global export ambitions. But as the calendar turned to November 2025, Typhoon Kalmaegi unleashed a force that rippled far beyond flooded streets and battered coastlines. Within 48 hours, more than 50 cargo and passenger flights were canceled or delayed, halting vital air links between key commercial centers such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and the industrial heartlands of Central Vietnam. For the country’s agile but vulnerable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this extreme event sounded a clarion call: logistics strategies must adapt, innovate, and anticipate, or risk being swept aside by the tides of climate volatility.

The New Reality: Climate Volatility and Fast-Moving Logistics Disruptions

Historic Patterns Meet Future Shocks. Vietnam’s geography places it squarely in the path of powerful typhoons season after season. But 2025 marked a turning point—not just another spike in weather severity, but a systemic disruption that exposed critical vulnerabilities in the nation’s supply chain infrastructure. Typhoon Kalmaegi, followed closely by other storms, forced the closures of major trunk routes and inland container depots near strategic ports like Chu Lai, Da Nang, and Quy Nhon. Secondary airports lagged behind major international hubs, reopening days later and compounding the impact.
The Economic Toll and Urgent Response. The government’s swift allocation of 285 billion VND (about $11.2 million) for immediate tourism and infrastructure recovery in Da Nang underscored both the scale of the challenge and the willingness to invest in rapid restoration. Yet, similar spending echoed across affected logistics networks, a tacit acknowledgment that resilience was no longer a luxury—it was a necessity for survival. With northern regions housing 111 industrial parks and nearly 5,000 FDI enterprises, especially in electronics and textiles, the stakes were higher than ever. Supply chain delays threatened not only local businesses but also the nation’s reputation as a reliable trade partner.

Emerging Patterns: Agility and Innovation in SME Logistics Strategies

Supply Chain Mapping and Exposure. The first hours of a logistics crisis separate the prepared from the vulnerable. Leading SMEs rapidly identified shipments and suppliers linked to impacted regions—Central or Northern Vietnam—to ensure targeted communication with customers and partners. This proactive mapping laid the foundation for a swift, coordinated response.
Force Majeure and Contractual Leverage. For many exporters, force majeure clauses became the ultimate safeguard. Early notification of partners and clients, invoking contractual protections for natural disasters, allowed businesses to manage liability, maintain trust, and demonstrate professionalism.
Rerouting and Strategic Rescheduling. With central air gateways shuttered, agile SMEs redirected critical shipments to northern hubs (Noi Bai/Hanoi, Hai Phong) or southern alternatives (Ho Chi Minh City). Rising costs and congestion were accepted as the price for continuity, especially for perishable or high-value exports. The alternative—waiting for normalcy—risked irreparable business losses.
Contingency Inventory & Dual Sourcing. The aftermath of Kalmaegi showed that companies heavily reliant on logistics through vulnerable regions had to rethink inventory and sourcing strategies. Building contingency buffers and cultivating backup suppliers outside risk zones became a new standard, buffering enterprises against upstream production halts.
Real-Time Communication and Scenario Planning. SMEs invested in digital supply chain mapping platforms and tracking solutions, gaining visibility over cargoes during and after typhoons. Monitoring official bulletins—from the Civil Aviation Authority and port operators to local business associations—ensured that decision-makers had the data needed to make real-time adjustments.
Permanence of Climate Risk. Scenario planning for climate volatility shifted from hypothetical to essential. Partnerships and infrastructure investments increasingly prioritized storm resilience and geographic diversification, embracing climate risk as a permanent fixture in logistics planning.

Comparative Perspectives: Lessons from Regional Peers and Global Players

Vietnam’s Unique Exposure Versus Regional Counterparts. While countries like Thailand and the Philippines also experience severe typhoons, Vietnam’s concentration of export-driven industrial parks—especially in the electronics and textile sectors—creates a uniquely acute vulnerability. Many of its SMEs lack the extensive multinational networks that larger firms leverage for rapid cargo rerouting.
Global Multinational Versus Local SME Response. Multinational corporations, with diversified supplier bases and sophisticated risk management systems, can often weather short-term disruptions by activating alternative logistics channels. In contrast, many Vietnamese SMEs historically depended on single-route supply chains, amplifying the shock when a major hub goes offline.
Technological Adoption and Industrial Networks. Vietnamese SMEs are actively catching up, investing in digital supply chain tools and joining local business associations for collective lobbying and information sharing. Industry forums, modeled after those in South Korea and Taiwan, increasingly serve as lifelines during recovery, expediting access to up-to-date information and supporting prioritized reopening.
New Viewer Perspective: From Passive Victims to Proactive Planners. New stakeholders—investors, supply chain managers, and policy-makers—are viewing these disruptions not as one-off crises, but as systemic risks requiring long-term, cross-functional mitigation. The narrative is shifting from reactive disaster recovery to proactive resilience-building, laying the groundwork for a competitive logistics ecosystem.

Real-World Implications: Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions

Financial Impact and Recovery Trends. The allocation of emergency recovery funds signaled both intense short-term strain and a commitment to rapid normalization. Yet, according to the OECD’s economic reports, recurring disruptions pose a long-term drag on growth if not counteracted by resilient infrastructure and adaptive business practices.
Supply Chain Diversification and Risk Mitigation. The most forward-thinking SMEs are now “building resilience into every shipment,” diversifying routes, transport modes, and supplier lists. For some, this means partnerships with logistics providers specializing in typhoon-prone regions; for others, it’s investment in flexible warehousing closer to alternative hubs.
Regulatory and Infrastructure Response. The government’s rapid spending on recovery is matched by ongoing upgrades in port and airport infrastructure—with an eye toward climate resilience, stormwater management, and digital backup systems. Local business associations increasingly advocate for priority restoration and transparent communication, ensuring SMEs have a seat at the table during phased recovery.
Digital Transformation as Strategic Imperative. The adoption of digital platforms for supply chain mapping, predictive analytics, and cargo tracking is not just a technical upgrade—it is a strategic necessity for survival. These tools provide the data-driven visibility needed to reroute shipments, invoke contractual protections, and communicate in real-time when every minute counts.

Innovative Practices: Future-Proofing SME Operations

Scenario Planning for Recurring Typhoon Seasons. Leading SMEs now incorporate structured scenario planning into their annual operations reviews, modeling best-case, worst-case, and most likely typhoon scenarios. This institutionalizes climate volatility as a business risk, aligning operational, financial, and communications strategies accordingly.
Collaborative Partnerships. Collaboration—not just competition—is emerging as a key principle. SMEs are joining forces within industry clusters and local business associations to lobby for prioritized recovery, share insights, and pool resources for collective resilience.
Investment in Resilience and Diversified Hubs. Market leaders are allocating capital to diversify logistics hubs and storm-resilient infrastructure. This includes dual-sourcing critical raw materials, establishing backup inventory in alternative locations, and partnering with logistics specialists adept at navigating typhoon disruptions.
Advocacy and Influence. Active engagement with port authorities, regional government agencies, and national policy forums ensures SMEs can advocate for supply chain prioritization and gain early access to reopening schedules and recovery programs.

As storms grow in frequency and severity, Vietnamese SMEs must evolve from passive weather victims to active architects of supply chain resilience—leveraging digital tools, scenario planning, and collaborative networks not only to survive, but to lead in a volatile global market.

Accessible Resources and Strategic Channels

Civil Aviation Authority and NCHMF. For hour-by-hour updates on closures and weather conditions, SMEs rely on the Civil Aviation Authority and National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).
Port and Warehouse Operators. Advisories from the Hai Phong Port Authority and leading logistics firms like APL Logistics provide critical real-time updates on vessel scheduling and shifting closure times.
Business Associations and Industry Forums. Local business associations, modeled after best practice forums across Asia, help SMEs access the latest information and collectively advocate for priority recovery.
Economic Analysis and Competitive Benchmarking. Reports from the OECD and PwC provide macroeconomic context, risk assessment, and benchmarks for supply chain resilience, aiding firms in evaluating their competitive stance.
Case Study: Da Nang’s Rapid Recovery. The government’s direct injection of funds into Da Nang’s tourism and infrastructure highlights how targeted spending can expedite recovery, providing a blueprint for logistics and export networks in other regions.

Reflections and Action: The Strategic Imperative for Vietnamese SMEs

Call to Future-Proofing. The 2025 typhoon season was not merely a disruption—it was a pivot point for Vietnamese SMEs. Fast-changing airport and seaport closures, road and rail blockages, and communication losses demand agile logistics grounded in supply chain visibility, pre-negotiated contractual protections, adaptive sourcing, and robust digital infrastructure.
The Path Forward: Data, Diversification, and Collaboration. Successful SMEs will be those that invest early in diversified logistics hubs, storm-resilient infrastructure, and collaborative partnerships. Industry leaders are already taking note, shifting from reactive crisis management to proactive, data-driven strategies that embed resilience into every link of their supply chains.
Strategic Importance—Beyond Vietnam. As global supply chains become ever more interdependent, the lessons of Vietnam’s SMEs will echo across borders—reshaping how small businesses everywhere prepare for climate volatility and logistics shocks.
Opinion: Resilience as Market Leadership. In a world where extreme weather events are no longer anomalies, but recurrent threats, resilience will be the new competitive advantage. Vietnamese SMEs that embrace this transformation—through digital innovation, scenario planning, and collaborative action—will not only withstand future storms, but set a benchmark for sustainable, agile growth in a turbulent era.