topic Supply Chain Pile Up in Community Chat

Supply Chain Pile Up

Mistreatedbycs — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 17:53:39 GMT

I don't understand why we are relying on a certain "part" of the U.S. to take care of this.

Aren't all these cargo ships controlled by private equities?

Couldn't all these Corporations involved "hire" one person to get everyone together and get these ships unloaded?

I would think everyone in the U.S. would band together and take care of this issue.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Desertdi — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 17:59:35 GMT

I think we should send Admiral Harriman........

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

SeaMaiden — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:15:34 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs wrote:
I don't understand why we are relying on a certain "part" of the U.S. to take care of this.

Aren't all these cargo ships controlled by private equities?

Couldn't all these Corporations involved "hire" one person to get everyone together and get these ships unloaded?

I would think everyone in the U.S. would band together and take care of this issue.

I do not think it is as simple as banding together to take care of this issue....

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

ROMARY — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:17:23 GMT

Couldn't the Nat. Gu*rd come in and unload the cargo?

Mainly for med. supplies, and other very important items that might eventually run out.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:33:55 GMT

These issues go through the entire chain, from ship to shelf. It's not just the the ports. Its not just a shortage of workers to unload the ships. Its the ship workers still on board. It’s the truckers, the rail companies, the operators and also those retail companies that are at the other end of those supply chains. People shifted their buying during the pandemic. They bought more groceries, more plastics, more toys, more electronics. There are shortages in components, resins to make plastics, chips. Gasoline prices have risen. There are worker shortages. There were not enough unloaded containers available to load as needs arose. The cost of new containers has jumped. The supply of containers. It's not a simple, just pull up and unload thing. The chains are complicated.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

On It — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:26:08 GMT

I saw on our local NBC station Friday evening that the container backlog is beginning to be resolved and the number backed up has diminished since President Biden intervened and the docks are now operating 24/7. They went on to say the shortage of truckers is now the problem and did a story on a local truckers' school.

On a personal level I ordered two tops from Tuesday's Denim and Co. show, and they were shipped early am Sunday. The USPS slowdown from the implementation of the new policy on October 1 seems to be my biggest problem.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

KingstonsMom — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:26:53 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs wrote:
I don't understand why we are relying on a certain "part" of the U.S. to take care of this.

Aren't all these cargo ships controlled by private equities?

Couldn't all these Corporations involved "hire" one person to get everyone together and get these ships unloaded?

I would think everyone in the U.S. would band together and take care of this issue.

@Mistreatedbycs

It's not just a certain "part" of the US, it's in every port in the US.

Even in my area, the GA Ports Authority, has lots of cargo ships anchored, waiting to unload and following the national mandate that all ports have to operate 24/7.

Then the containers from the ships sit stacked around the Port property for a 3 mile radius, because they can't get trucks to deliver them to the recipients.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mistreatedbycs — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:29:09 GMT

@Mindy D

Yes but WE ARE the United States of America and no feat is impossible.

Someone with talent and leadership can get this done. It's going to take a coordinated effort and it could get cleaned up.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mistreatedbycs — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:33:49 GMT

@KingstonsMom The "part" was that we are waiting for our "gov******'

to take care of this and not a reference to part of the country.

The way it's going, nothing is moving.and it sure looks like it's intentional that's why I don't understand why this affects private equities like the Q that someone out of that "area" can't take control and straighten this out.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:14:24 GMT

@KingstonsMom @Miami Herald is reporting that at our local port in Ft. Lauderdale, things are running smoothly. @Mistreatedbycs I see no evidence that it's intentional. It might be beneficial to companies; allowing them to raise prices on goods, and these higher prices might stick in the long term, but it hurts sales for them right now if they can't get product to sell. I can't see any reason for government to want this. It benefits no one. How would entities benefit? Do you know something about this? I'm no wizard in this thing and I'm ready to learn.

I read this online. I'm not certain of it's accuracy or credibility, but it is possibly true:

"Experts say that one of the biggest reasons for the pile-up in ships is a shift in consumer spending habits as folks spend more time at home.

"Consumers have shifted their spending from services to goods during the pandemic, and supply chains are struggling to keep pace," said Jeffrey Michael, executive director of the Center for Business and Policy Research at University of the Pacific. "The ports in Southern California are actually moving record levels of containers, but they haven’t been able to keep up with increased demand.

Shipping experts say that there is a peak customer order season that starts with back to school shopping in September and lasts through holidays in December. The ports can usually handle that surge in shipping containers coming to unload their cargo. But last year things were different due to COVID-related disruptions and labor shortages, according to Kip Louttit, executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California.

"We had a peak season that was greater than normal a year ago and they haven't been able to clear it," Louttit said. "
Quoted from

"No, back-up of cargo ships off Southern California coast not due to ‘manufactured supply-chain halt’by Isabella Fertel, Oct. 1,2021 in Politifact.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:36:29 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs @Running the unloading for 24 hour days seems to be helping.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

catter70 — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:41:44 GMT

Seems to me like no ones in charge or if there is they aren't doing their job.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:51:49 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs wrote:
@Mindy D

Yes but WE ARE the United States of America and no feat is impossible.

Someone with talent and leadership can get this done. It's going to take a coordinated effort and it could get cleaned up.

I believed this until the pandemic came along. Now I just hope for the best.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:54:07 GMT

@catter70 @Each part of the chain follows its own ways of doing things. The parts mesh but have always operated separately. Within each part, there have been so many changes affected by the pandemic's influence on each part within each of the industries. I don't think there's ever been a single entity in charge of it all...except maybe during war time, and I'm not sure of this either. Some experts on the chain will have to be brought together to advise leaders on possible solutions. I think leaders are already consulting with experts to come up with strategies.

It's apparent to me that the California ports, for next year, should have less of the total shipping. Right now the two ports account for 40%. Next year, plans could be made to reduce this amount during months with the heaviest shipping. Other ports could be used, with the right advance planning, to reduce the load on the two California ports.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

granddi — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:55:04 GMT

@ROMARY wrote:
Couldn't the Nat. Gu*rd come in and unload the cargo?

Mainly for med. supplies, and other very important items that might eventually run out.

The unloading requires skilled crane operators. Truckers that haul are trained and licensed.

The mystery of our economy is where are the crane operators? And add to that, where are health care workers, day care workers, food service, clerks, school bus drivers.

Reagan tried to make the air traffic controllers report to work and they quit instead. Don't we wish the government could mandate people do the right thing.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:27:27 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs wrote:
I don't understand why we are relying on a certain "part" of the U.S. to take care of this.

Aren't all these cargo ships controlled by private equities?

Couldn't all these Corporations involved "hire" one person to get everyone together and get these ships unloaded?

I would think everyone in the U.S. would band together and take care of this issue.

A very good article about this, from the point of view of a veteran longshoreman currently working right there in LA is:

I'm a California dock worker facing record cargo-ship backlogs. It'll be catastrophic if things get worse.

Just put this title 🔺into your search bar to find and read. Insights you will want to know about.

Oct 12, 2021, 9:29 AM

by Jenny Powers. The Insider

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

Mindy D — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:26:10 GMT

@granddi @The longshoremen are there and doing their jobs. I just posted an article that

is written by him. It puts a new spin on this issue for me. Hearing what is happening gave me a better understanding.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

D Kay — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:35:32 GMT

You can't automatically produce equipment operators, truck drivers etc. if there is a shortage of them. There was a truck driver shortage before this backup started. These jobs require training and experience. It's not a matter of unloading boxes and throwing them in the back of a truck.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

DiAnne — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:38:19 GMT

This pandemic has proved Americans cannot work together for the greater good.

Re: Supply Chain Pile Up

ROMARY — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:53:54 GMT

Saw a very brief clip of several containers randomly floating in the ocean.

Helicopters are keeping an eye on them.