Investigating marine cargo insurance claims for signs of climate change through the South African fresh fruit export supply chain

Date
2024-03
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This dissertation comprises four research articles that collectively explore the intersection of climate change events as a supply chain risk through investigating marine cargo insurance claims, specifically focusing on South Africa. The overarching aim is to gain insight into the impacts of climate-related perils on global supply chains and develop effective risk management strategies. The first article presents a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis that identifies trends, gaps and limitations in published academic papers on climate change events and fresh fruit export supply chain risks. According to the study, there is insufficient peer-reviewed literature in this area, and a research agenda is proposed for future scientific contributions. The findings underscore the need for the comprehensive understanding and mitigation of risks associated with climate change events and their effect on supply chains. The second article examines the trends, differences and seasonality of weather-related marine cargo insurance claims in South Africa from 2013 to 2022. Through statistical and claims analysis, the research shows a significant increase in weather-related claims over the past decade, resulting in challenges and disruptions to the country’s supply chain network. The study also highlights the higher average values and seasonal patterns of weather-related claims compared to non-weather-related claims. Practical guidelines are provided for supply chain managers and insurers to manage weather-related risks effectively. The third article, based on feedback from a cohort of international participants, delves into understanding the perceptions of marine insurers about their organisation’s involvement in the Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) framework for climate change events. The research explores the influence of experience levels and World Bank country income classifications on insurers’ perceptions. The SCRM framework steps show significant variations, indicating different risk management practices within experience groups. Higher country income levels correlate with greater awareness and management of climate change risks. The study emphasises the need for comprehensive involvement in all steps of the SCRM framework to build resilient supply chains. The final article focuses on the interplay between climate change events, South African fruit exports and food safety, providing a comprehensive analysis of fruit damage claims. With the global temperatures witnessing a significant 1.1 °C surge since the pre-industrial times, scrutiny of the vulnerabilities of South Africa’s fruit export sector has increased. This industry contributes over $3 billion to the economy every year. By examining fruit damage claims from 2013 to 2022, the article illuminates distinct categories of claims, highlighting variations driven by elements such as weather patterns. Notably, the research identifies seasonal trends vital for risk mitigation planning. Both Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and regression analytic models are employed to anticipate future claims. The conclusions drawn highlight the pressing need for tailormade policies, reinforced resilience tactics in maritime supply routes, thorough analysis of different fruit-type vulnerabilities, enriched data gathering, and fortified partnerships with key players. This strategic alignment is crucial to offset potential future damages and to safeguard the prosperity of South Africa’s fruit export sector amid mounting climate adversities. Overall, this dissertation contributes to the growing knowledge of climate change as a supply chain risk. It highlights the urgent need for comprehensive risk management practices and proactive measures to address the increasing frequency and severity of weather-related hazards. The findings offer practical guidelines for supply chain managers, marine insurers and policymakers in mitigating the impacts of climate change on global supply chains, particularly in the context of South Africa. The research also identifies gaps for further investigation and provides a foundation for future scientific contributions in this important study area.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif bestaan uit vier navorsingsartikels wat gesamentlik die raakpunte tussen klimaatsveranderingsgebeurtenisse en voorsieningskettingrisiko’s ondersoek deur mariene vragversekeringseise na te vors, met spesifieke fokus op Suid-Afrika. Die oorkoepelende doelwit is om insig te kry in die impakte van klimaatverwante gevare op wereldwye voorsieningskettings en om doeltreffende risikobestuurstrategiee te ontwikkel. Die eerste artikel bied ’n sistematiese literatuuroorsig en bibliometriese analise wat tendense, gapings en beperkings in gepubliseerde akademiese artikels oor klimaatsverandering en die risiko’s inherent in varsvrugte-uitvoervoorsieningskettings identifiseer. Die studie le ’n gebrek aan ewekniegeevalueerde literatuur in hierdie area bloot en bied ’n navorsingsagenda vir toekomstige wetenskaplike bydraes. Die bevindings beklemtoon die behoefte aan ’n omvattende begrip van risiko’s wat verband hou met klimaatsverandering en die effek daarvan op voorsieningskettings. Die tweede artikel ondersoek die tendense, verskille en seisoenaliteit van weerverwante mariene vragversekeringseise in Suid-Afrika van 2013 tot 2022. Deur statistiese en eise-analise te gebruik, toon die navorsing ’n beduidende toename in weerverwante eise oor die afgelope dekade, wat uitdagings vir en ontwrigtings van die land se voorsieningskettingnetwerk tot gevolg het. Die studie beklemtoon ook die hoer gemiddelde waardes en seisoenpatrone van weerverwante eise in vergelyking met nieweerverwante eise. Praktieseriglyne word voorsien vir voorsieningskettingbestuurders en versekeraars om weerverwante risiko’s doeltreffend te bestuur. Die derde artikel fokus op die begrip van mariene versekeraars oor hulle organisasie se deelname aan die Voorsieningskettingrisikobestuur- (VKRB-) raamwerk vir gebeurtenisse weens klimaatsverandering. Die navorsing ondersoek die invloed van ervaringsvlakke en die Wereldbank se inkomsteklassifikasies vir verskillende lande op versekeraars se persepsies. Die bevindings dui op beduidende variasies onder die VKRB-raamwerkstappe en openbaar duidelike risikobestuurspraktyke vir verskillende ervaringsgroepe. Hoer landinkomstevlakke korreleer met groter bewustheid en bestuur van klimaatsveranderingsrisiko’s. Die studie beklemtoon die behoefte aan omvattende betrokkenheid by alle stappe van die VKRB-raamwerk om veerkragtige voorsieningskettings te bou. Die laaste artikel delf diep in die verband tussen klimaatsveranderingsgebeure, Suid-Afrikaanse vrugte-uitvoere en voedselveiligheid, en bied ’n omvattende analise van vrugteskade-eise. Met die wereldtemperature wat ’n beduidende 1,1 °C styging sedert pre-industriele tye toon, is daar ’n verskerpte fokus op die kwesbaarhede van Suid-Afrika se vrugte-uitvoersektor, wat jaarliks meer as $3 miljard tot die ekonomie bydra. Deur vrugteskade-eise van 2013 tot 2022 te ondersoek, lig die artikel duidelike kategoriee van eise uit, wat variasies weens aspekte soos weerpatrone beklemtoon. Merkwaardig genoeg, identifiseer die navorsing seisoenale tendense wat noodsaaklik is vir risikoversagtende beplanning. Om toekomstige eise te voorspel, is beide seisoenale outoregressiewe geintegreerde bewegende gemiddelde- (SARIMA-) en regressie- analitiese modelle gebruik. Die gevolgtrekkings beklemtoon die dringende behoefte aan doelgemaakte beleide, versterkte veerkragtigheidstaktieke in maritieme bevoorradingsroetes, deeglike ondersoeke na spesifieke vrugtekategoriee, verrykte dataversameling en sterker vennootskappe met sleutelspelers. Hierdie strategiese belyning is noodsaaklik om potensiele toekomstige skade te neutraliseer en die welvaart van Suid-Afrika se vrugte-uitvoersektor te beskerm in die lig van toenemende klimaatsuitdagings. In die geheel dra hierdie proefskrif by tot die groeiende kennis oor klimaatsverandering as ’n voorsieningskettingrisiko. Dit beklemtoon die dringende behoefte aan omvattende risikobestuurspraktyke en proaktiewe maatreels om die toenemende frekwensie en erns van weerverwante gevare aan te spreek. Die bevindings bied praktiese riglyne vir voorsieningskettingbestuurders, mariene versekeraars en beleidmakers om die impakte van klimaatsverandering op wereldwye voorsieningskettings te versag, veral in die konteks van Suid- Afrika. Die navorsing identifiseer ook gapings vir verdere ondersoek en verskaf ’n grondslag vir toekomstige wetenskaplike bydraes in hierdie belangrike studiegebied.
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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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