As if the supply chain is not disrupted enough already

[Marci jo]

Another reason for the supply chain problem. This is from article from Business Insider.

The US is facing a supply-chain crisis as 21 cargo ships float off the coast of LA waiting to dock​

• 21 ships were anchored off the coast of Los Angeles and Long Beach waiting to dock on Wednesday.
• The California ports are congested and account for about one-third of US imports.

"The normal number of container ships at anchor is between zero and one," Louttit said.

Some of the container ships have been waiting off the shore for weeks. One of the vessels has been at berth since April 3. Of the ships waiting to dock, half of them are what Marine Exchange calls "mega-container ships" or ships with the carrying capacity of 10,000 TEUs.

"Part of the problem is the ships are double or triple the size of the ships we were seeing 10 or 15 years ago," Louttit told Insider. "They take longer to unload. You need more trucks, more trains, more warehouses to put the cargo."

 

[Mulezen]

Local LBS cited this very problem to me several months ago

 

[theemartymac]

The cargo ship problem happens up here in Vancouver too. We are actually seeing ships anchored here off Victoria, as there is no space for them to wait off Vancouver due to the pile ups. An old Provincial government tried to add a super port up in Prince Rupert, but the environmentalists killed that one. We are going to need some better port options all up and down the coast in the very near future.

 

[NightRider1]

The cargo ship problem happens up here in Vancouver too. We are actually seeing ships anchored here off Victoria, as there is no space for them to wait off Vancouver due to the pile ups. An old Provincial government tried to add a super port up in Prince Rupert, but the environmentalists killed that one. We are going to need some better port options all up and down the coast in the very near future.

The real problem is that both the competent port authority and the local politicians have watched for years as the need for expanded infrastructure grows, but has done nothing to improve the situation. It's always and everywhere the same thing, they wait until the problem grows over one's head and then always blame everyone else, just not themselves. If we want to compensate for the economic losses that have now been caused, at least almost everywhere, then some major projects would have to be tackled immediately. That would probably be the best investment for the next 25 years!

 

[NightRider1]

"Part of the problem is the ships are double or triple the size of the ships we were seeing 10 or 15 years ago," Louttit told Insider. "They take longer to unload. You need more trucks, more trains, more warehouses to put the cargo."

So what?! Was that a surprise? The whole thing did not develop overnight, but over many years, so they had enough time to react appropriately. What you need besides money is plenty of space for an automated unloading, sorting and parking of the containers. In addition, a lot of staff to empty the containers and fill the magazines. Ideally, the necessary means of transport should be available just in time, so this should work around the clock as on the assembly line. What we are witnessing today is a total failure of the movement of goods in many places due to poor management. In the 21st century, we can no longer afford economic bottlenecks!