Cold-Chain Vulnerabilities in Island Supply Chains: International Lessons and Implications for Jeju

This study investigates how the structurally vulnerable aspects of cold-chain logistics in island settings lead to the resilience implications that need to be strengthened in Jeju Island. The research explains how remote location, climate vulnerability, and limited infrastructure, all together, affect systemic risks of temperature-controlled supply chains. To this end, a qualitative comparative case study of three island areas—Hawaii, the Caribbean Islands, and Fiji—was conducted. These areas were selected as they have the common characteristics of being heavily import-dependent, experiencing weather disruptions frequently, and having centralized cold-chain facilities. The examination of each instance was done using a four-factor framework of environmental exposure, infrastructure concentration, operational constraints, and governance coordination. Based on the results, the most frequent causes of cold-chain failures in these regions are climate-related disruptions that continue to repeat themselves. Furthermore, the storage capacity is limited and highly centralized; the power systems are unstable; the transport is slow and the institutional coordination is fragmented. In the same way, Jeju has deteriorated patterns such as weather-induced transport disruption, dependence on port- and airport-based storage, tourism-driven demand fluctuations, and lack of governance integration. The study suggests that the cold-chain resilience of Jeju may be enhanced by decentralizing the storage facilities to the inland areas, modernizing the temperature-monitoring systems, implementing sea-air substitution protocols and establishing a dedicated coordinating body. The proposed concepts not only lead practical implementation of the next logistics and port-planning strategies but also offer a valuable input to the broader academic discourse on island-specific cold-chain resilience.