West Coast Ports Overburdened, Congestion Creating Delays

Washington, DC, February 19, 2021-The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been overburdened with a deluge of container imports over the last few months, reports Supply Chain Dive. “As a result, cargo heading into and out of the ports has slowed to a relative crawl, as the ports deal with record-breaking volume alongside a reduction in staff related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This slowdown resulting from high levels of imports has created congestion at terminals and in surrounding areas.

“High import levels are driving the congestion. Loaded imports were up more than 23% YoY for The Port of Los Angeles in December and nearly 26% YoY at the Port of Long Beach.

"‘The spike in imports is unprecedented in scale, breaking new records on a monthly basis,’ Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka told the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners this month.

“The high import levels are a result of increased consumer spending and retailers working to restock their inventory. Spending has shifted away from services, such as movies and restaurants to physical goods, generating record-breaking import levels at the nation's water gateways.”