Method

Noise filtered into decision focused operational impact across seven core risk domains.

SIGNAL

Only developments with real operational consequence.

CONTEXT

Interpreted for timing, exposure, and downstream impacts.

ACTION

Escalated so you can protect your operations.

Coverage In Practice

Coverage is scoped to your exposure profile and operational sensitivity, not a fixed country list or constant alerting. The focus is on developments reasonably likely to affect your cost, timing, or execution.

Coverage Model

What I Monitor

Seven core external risk domains.

Trade policy, tariffs and enforcement Duties, quotas, regulatory shifts, CBP posture, exams, and compliance trends that alter landed cost or clearance risk.
Transportation and capacity Ocean carriers, blank sailings, routing shifts, rail and drayage constraints, intermodal bottlenecks, and service reliability.
Ports and terminals Congestion, dwell time, operational constraints, and local clearance friction.
Geopolitics and security Sanctions, conflict spillover, chokepoints, instability, and developments affecting routing and risk.
Labor actions Contract risk, strikes, slowdowns, and union led disruptions across ports and logistics networks.
Weather and natural disruption Severe weather events affecting ports, lanes, terminals, and inland networks.
Cyber and infrastructure risk System outages, ransomware, port IT disruption, and infrastructure vulnerabilities impacting logistics flow.

What You Receive

Structured, decision focused output.

Continuous monitoring Daily surveillance across all seven core risk areas to identify developments that could affect cost, timing, or execution.
Exception based escalation Urgent updates only when material changes are likely to imminently affect cost, timing, or execution. If nothing crosses that threshold, it is captured in the monthly update.
Monthly executive update (PDF) Covers what changed, why it matters, and what to pay attention to now. Structured for quick review and internal circulation.
Impact framing Each development is assessed for likely operational impact, with a stated confidence level (high / medium / low).
Follow up access Questions within your coverage scope are welcome. I respond the same or next business day. I am not on call around the clock.
Selective engagement My client base is intentionally limited to ensure each engagement receives focused, consistent attention.

See how this looks in practice.

View sample alerts + updates →

Decision focused clarity for leadership. No noise. No unnecessary escalation.

$4,000 / month

Limited to a small number of client engagements.

Start a coverage conversation

Pricing reflects a typical U.S. importer footprint. Broader global exposure or higher monitoring intensity may require adjusted scope and pricing.

Common Questions

Why not just hire an analyst, rely on our broker, or use a risk dashboard?

Hiring an analyst means headcount, ramp up, and overhead. Brokers know their lanes, not yours. Dashboards generate alerts that still need someone to interpret them. IRI provides the interpretation without the cost of building a full internal risk function.

How are the monthly update and escalation alerts different from a news summary or data feed?

The update is built around your operating profile, not the news cycle. During onboarding I confirm your trade lanes, key ports, and escalation triggers. Each update reflects that profile: what changed, whether it matters for your specific exposure, and what to watch next.

What triggers an urgent alert, and how often will we hear from you?

Escalations are issued only when material changes are likely to imminently affect cost, timing, or execution for your lanes. If nothing crosses that threshold, it is captured in the monthly update.

How do you translate risk into operational impact?

I translate developments into practical scenarios. What could change at the port or in policy, what it could do to lead times, inspections, capacity, or routing, and where costs can show up. I state confidence, what would confirm it, and what I am watching next.

What are your sources and how do you validate them?

I do not just forward links. I cross check across multiple credible sources, favor primary or close to primary reporting, and look for confirmation in operational indicators. If something is unconfirmed, I label it that way and explain what would confirm or invalidate it.

What's out of scope?

IRI focuses on external risk drivers. Internal supply chain assessment of inventory, production, or supplier systems falls outside that scope, as does real time crisis management. The focus is on external developments that change import outcomes and translating those into decision relevant impact.

How fast can you respond to a direct question?

I am email based, but responsive. If you email a question, I typically reply the same business day or next business day, depending on complexity. If something is clearly time sensitive, I will move faster when I can.

What happens if nothing changes?

No news is good news. A quiet month means I have monitored the landscape daily and nothing crossed the threshold worth escalating. You will still receive a monthly update confirming what remains stable and what I am watching next.

What do you need from us to get started?

A short intake on trade lanes, key ports, origin regions, product sensitivity, and decision constraints. Coverage is then tuned to what would actually move cost, timing, or execution.