The cycle from desperation to prosperity to the prospect of rack and ruin spins swiftly in the liner business. A perfect storm of circumstances, topped by actual storms, has created a giant kink in the supply chain and produced a mess of expensive congestion that promises to carry on for a while.At the time of writing (in mid-February), an estimated 40 ships were anchored outside Los Angeles waiting to unload, forming a backup that rivals the longshoreman's strike several years ago. This time, those who unload ships from Asia are sick with the COVID, as the pandemic rolls on. 'We have more cargo than skilled labour,' a Los Angeles port director said, noting 1,800 workers missing work.
展开▼
