That’s a record! Getting ready to be patient about your packages because unfortunately, they are still out at sea… and it’s going to be a while. The U.S. shipping crisis has not seem to be diminishing.
On Monday, August 13th, a number of 56 cargo ships were seen stuck off the coast of Southern California in drift off areas by the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. The ports were dealing with 140 total ships, including 87 freighters.
Socal’s congested ports, which account for about one-third of the country’s imports, have reached record height. This is actually the fourth time in only three weeks that these key ports have hit a new record with shipping delays surpassing levels from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global shipping industry has been struggling with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since February 2020. The unfavorable delays that consumers, importers, and the world has been experiencing are a result of COVID-19 related disruptions. Due to labor shortages and surges in e-commerce, “Port of Los Angeles data indicates that ships’ average wait times have increased to 8.5 days.” Not only are the the delays getting longer, but transportation and shipping prices have also skyrocketed. The price per container between China and U.S’s East Coast has climbed over 500% from just a year ago.
With the holiday seasons coming up, longer delays are anticipated. If you have any questions about shipping delays for your imports, please contact info@spiritchbinc.com or call 714-738-1196 for assistance.
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