A logistics stronghold is a key facility or group of facilities and its surrounding area secured during an emergency (pandemic, natural disaster) to ensure the continuity of supply chains and the availability of freight distribution capabilities. It includes four core aspects:
- Strategic asset. Important transportation facilities, such as a port, airport, intermodal terminal, and logistics zone (a cluster of distribution centers), providing access and distribution capabilities to global and national markets. This also includes power generation facilities, essential to maintain electric power supply. Ports and airports are particularly important because of the connectivity they provide, as well as their storage capabilities.
- Secure facility area. The areas surrounding the strategic asset must be secured to prevent additional contagion (pandemic) or theft, which involves setting a perimeter and checkpoints. The core purpose is to minimize contagion and maintain the operational capabilities of the facility, which requires the presence of key personnel.
- Inventory management. Strategic transport facilities commonly have co-located logistical facilities that should be included within the secure perimeter. This buffer is used to maintain critical supply chains by ensuring the procurement of energy, parts, goods, food, and medical supplies, depending on the function of the facility. During a pandemic, logistics strongholds are expected to assume a larger share in the storage of critical inventory because of the declining availability of resources, safety and security considerations, and the lack of labor.
- Secure corridors. The logistical stronghold must allow access to local production and consumption areas through high-priority corridors. Convoys can be organized from the facility to securely bring supplies to local distribution points or important facilities (e.g. hospitals).