An Approach to Improve Hurricane Disaster Logistics Using System Dynamics and Information Systems

The annual threat of increasingly severe Atlantic hurricanes has raised concerns about the management of logistics in the immediate aftermath and rebuilding phases of catastrophic storms. Logistics challenges include timely delivery of inbound relief supplies, synchronization of supply and demand in the reconstruction phase, and management of the reverse flows of empty containers. Due to the low probability of occurrence, the high level of impact, and the scale and complexity involved, it is often difficult to devise a comprehensive logistics plan in advance of a catastrophe. To ensure satisfactory performance at all stages of recovery, the problem must be conceptualized in systemic terms using information from past experiences to identify causal relationships and opportunities for optimization. This paper highlights the challenges faced at Caribbean ports in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane disaster and in the reconstruction materials supply chain during the rebuilding period and offers a conceptual approach to improve planning by combining holistic thinking with simulation and information technologies.