Boeing has said the 11 March earthquake in Japan could lead to parts shortages in the future, and is working to minimise potential disruption to its supply chain.
"We've identified points of risk within the supply chain and are developing mitigation plans. We feel confident that we'll be able to manage these risks with minimal disruption to our supply chain, so long as there is no further impact to power distribution or transportation infrastructure," says a Boeing spokesman.
"There is potential for future parts shortages with a small number of suppliers related to their sub-tiers suppliers and / or infrastructure impacts," he adds, without going into detail.
Boeing's 787 programme chief Scott Fancher had said immediately after the earthquake that there was "no major disruption" to the programme's Japanese suppliers, which are responsible for 35% of the structural weight of the aircraft.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
