LOS ANGELES (NewsNation Now) – There are a near-record 146 cargo ships off the California coast either anchored or at berth with billions of dollars worth of merchandise – and not much can be done about it.
About half of all imports come into Southern California, but it’s now a major choke point in the global supply chain.
The mess was partly triggered by a COVID-19 outbreak among dockworkers at the start of the pandemic. Staffing is healthier now, but crews can only work so fast. Even when cargo is finally offloaded, there are other kinks in the supply chain.
“We’re also storing thousands of empty containers at our yards because we don’t have the ability to return them,” said Matt Schrap, CEO Harbor Trucking Association. “The marine terminals are either out of space or they’ve reached the allocation limit the steamship lines have given them for that particular type of container.”
According to the Marine Exchange of Southern California, one ship waiting offshore arrived from Asia on Sept. 5.
There are 76 container ships carrying clothes, furniture and electronics that have been stuck at ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach for nearly three months. They’re carrying 14,000 containers with about $100,000 of merchandise each.
“Once cargo gets here to L.A., it’s like taking 10 lanes of freeway traffic and bringing it down to five lanes,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of L.A. “We’re still moving more cargo than ever, but it’s not enough because of the buying power of the American consumer.”
That traffic offshore may have increased the odds of an anchor mishap, which is the suspected cause of an oil pipeline rupture last week.
There are also widespread warnings about the impact on the holidays.
“We’re certainly hoping that more containers come in both for the major retailers and to help some of these small stores,” said Ed Desmond, executive vice president of the Toy Industry Association. “But one issue that we do fear is you may not see the same breadth of selection.”
Retailers such as Walmart, Target, Costco and Home Depot are chartering their own vessels in an effort to beat the global supply chain disruptions that threaten to harm the retail industry’s holiday season.
The proposed Biden infrastructure bill includes $17 billion for port modernization, but the cargo jam is expected to stretch into next summer at least.
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Now the lefts plans are coming to fruition. They hate when people plan for their future and that is exactly what we must do to thwart their plans to destroy America and every true American patriot.
This Biden/Newsom bought, paid for organized and Democrat run oceanic Chinese Fire Drill of an incoming Armada, when compared to the well-organized troops and supplies Landed by non-socialist Real American Democrats on D-Day, shows proof positive that this is not your Father’s and Grandfather’s once great American Democrat party, but a failed foreign operation of musical chairs disguised as a Game of Thrones more resembling loaded toilets as the aspired won prize, sans toilet paper of course.
If Joe was asked to organize the operation in WWII to sink the Bismark, he’d be grabbing for a Bavarian cream donut and a cup of coffee.
Maybe we should start buying things made in the U.S.A..
BIDEN and co hate that…
Maybe we should start buying things made in the U.S.A..
Amen to that.
We don’t exchange Christmas gifts anymore. We generally give grandchildren money to spend and we enjoy the holiday gatherings, when and if King Fauci chooses to permit such a thing.
I try to keep ahead on supplies and foods that we use a lot. That way if there’s no paper towels at the store, I have a week or two to find some before I run out.
I hear that appliances are in short supply too, so we may be scouting the used appliance store if something breaks down and can’t be repaired. There’s usually a way to get most things, at least right now. That may change before Let’s Go Brandon is finally out of office. Prescription drugs is another thing that could be a big problem for people.
Stock up more if possible. It is not hoarding but rather being prepared. I look at it as one less person on the government line needing a ration of something. Start with toilet paper. At least paper towels one can use a cloth towel, like it used to be. Toilet paper, not so much.
I am now keeping about a 2 month supply of most things and replenish as we consume single items. This gives us a nice buffer—-and we’ve had to dip into the buffer.
I second that. START acting like a horder.. PREP like there is no tomorrow…