Port Of Baltimore Backed Up For Hours Tuesday; Adds Business Despite Shipping Crisis
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Traffic was at a standstill Tuesday at the Port of Baltimore as the supply chain crisis shows no signs of letting up.
Fortunately, port officials say as container ships wait in limbo at the port of Los Angeles, there's no backlog here and it's rerouting business to Baltimore.
Long lines and lots of impatience.
"With this backup, it's making it hard for us truckers to get through," said Marvin Mangum.
Marvin Mangum was one of the dozens of truck drivers in standstill traffic at the Port of Baltimore on Tuesday.
"It's got a lot to do with all the containers sitting over in the west coast, they're all starting to come over. Now it's got us backed up," said Mangum.
Trucks were backed up for hours, but it's not necessarily a bad thing.
Right now, there's no major backlog of ships at the Port of Baltimore. In fact, port officials say amid the shipping crisis they've added business.
"We're doing great in Maryland," said William Doyle.
Executive Director of the Maryland Port Administration, William Doyle says he hopes to take advantage of the backlog in California to lure even more ships here. He says in the past 14 months, 23 massive container ships diverted mid-voyage to come here because they knew they could come in, get unloaded, and back to sea again quickly.
"Your retailers and small businesses are both saying 'why do we have to go to Los Angeles or Long Beach? Should we use some more ports around the country?' and I think we're seeing that now," said Doyle.
At stores like 10,000 villages in Fells Point.
"We have things come in from all over like Bangladesh, India, Kenya," said Alberto Macias.
Alberto Macias says so far, they haven't felt any major problems. The owner has been planning ahead and stocking up on inventory.
"Hopefully things will be okay. But if not, we have enough material to get us through," said Macias.
But he says there's still is a growing concern ahead of the holidays.
"If we don't get that thing we don't get or we want to get that's okay. I think people at the end of the day are understanding," said Macias.
Unloading ships is just the first step in the import supply chain. All that cargo needs to go on trucks or trains.
The Port Administration says they can always use more drivers but for now, are doing okay.
Editor's Note: Language has been clarified for the extent of the traffic backup.