We have an update on the container shortage issue.
As we have reported, exporters in China are paying a premium for empty containers, which take up space for other U.S. goods needing to be shipped to Asia. The U.S. Meat Export Federation says that it is adding to the labor shortages at ports already hit hard by the pandemic.
“To where there just isn’t the available labor to get these ships loaded and off-loaded in a really efficient manner,” USMEF’s Travis Arp explains. “That’s led to a lot of these inbound vessels having to sit at anchor for days, and sometimes even weeks at a time while they wait for the available labor to bring those ships into call.”
USMEF says that ports from Los Angeles to Tacoma are crucial for not only western farmers but for those back east as well. Cargo from the Midwest has been left sitting at terminals simply waiting for an available ship.
Several ag groups have implored the Biden administration to consider using the Shipping Act to address the situation.
Related:
Shipping container shortage and labor issues causing challenges for red meat exports.