US ports face record backlog ahead of holiday purchases

An increasing number of shipments are stuck at sea due to supply chain issues leading to growing concerns that holiday shipments will not arrive on time. Container ships are invading ports from New York to Los Angeles, where 250,000 containers float off the coast waiting to be unloaded.

“There is no place to put this cargo. Our docks are full. People have to come and collect their cargo,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “Only half of the truck drivers registered to do business here visit us at least once a week. We need more drivers on the job.

But trucker George Anaya said the port needs to move faster. Anaya had an appointment at 7 p.m. to pick up a load but was unable to leave the terminal until 2 a.m. Prior to this year he said he could pick up about 20 loads a week. It’s now down to around six, he said.

The Port of Los Angeles has already extended its hours of operation but is not open 24 hours a day like ports in other parts of the world. President Biden has said he would like ports to operate 24 hours a day.

“You have so many nodes in the supply chain that have to follow the same schedule. If we can get the warehouses to open 24 hours a day, that would be important to us,” Seroka said.

The delays are affecting business owners like Maryam al-Hammami, owner of The Game Chest toy store, who said almost all the toys she had in stock were already on store shelves. “I have nothing to replace him,” she said.

About 40% of al-Hammami’s business depends on holiday shopping. “It’s tough as a consumer because I’m also going to celebrate Christmas and it’s tough as a business owner,” she said.

Larger companies, including Walmart, have chartered entire ships to deliver goods to less congested ports. The huge cost makes it out of reach for small businesses.