Finally, some relief from supply chain bottlenecks for the besieged ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. In the first two months of 2022, the queue of ships waiting for Southern California berths fell. Velocity of cargo moving through terminals increased. And more boxes were unloaded at Southern California docks.
Relief may be brief, however.
Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, acknowledged during a press conference on Wednesday that another round of cargo surges could lie ahead. This week’s COVID lockdowns in Shenzhen, China, could lead to a “hockey stick” of inbound cargo volumes after factories reopen.
Meanwhile, inbound volumes “will likely pick up given the direction retailers are giving us on their need to replenish inventories.”
