Congestion Crisis In Port Of LA May Result In Delays For Holiday Orders
SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — Extensive congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is causing major shipping delays, just in time for the holiday season.
Some are calling the delays a crisis, saying that a large amount of Christmas gifts may not arrive on time.
Experts in the shipping industry say it's the worst congestion they've seen at the ports, with long lines of trucks waiting to pick up orders. This process generally takes a few days, but lately, it has been taking a couple of weeks.
Companies who rely on the port for the majority of business done through the holiday season are likewise feeling the delays.
"We can't account for things that are out of our control," toy company Cloud B CEO and co-founder Linda Suh said. "When products clear customs, then we're seeing two to three weeks of delays. It's really at that point. We're really crossing our fingers to make sure the products are in house."
Many of the trucking companies, who are tasked with picking up boxes at the port and bringing them to warehouses, have been forced to turn new business away.
"This is the worst congestion I've ever seen," Port Logistics Group's Mike Johnson said. "I'm turning down 20 calls a day. We just don't have the capacity. It's not that we don't have enough trucks, we have enough trucks to service the industry. It's the port congestion and the long visit times that the trucks experience, that are creating most of the delays."
The blame, as far as industry experts are concerned, is with increases in cargo, larger ships, labor negotiations and a shortage of chassis, which are large metal beds with wheels to transport the trailers.
"It's been happening to us," Suh said. "We're just honestly having people on top of it on a daily basis, like minute by minute in certain circumstances."
Suh has resorted to flying in her toys, spending thousands of dollars to bypass the issues at the port.
The port's spokesman says a solution, including bringing in thousands of additional chassis, is underway.