THE SOUND OF THE FURY

摘要

Operations at US west coast ports may appear to be back to normal, but beneficial cargo owners have long memories and will not quickly forget the chaos of last winter when severe vessel delays caused disruption along the entire supply chain. Shipper frustration at the state of west coast ports is never far from the surface, while the terminal operators know they face a stiff challenge to retain discretionary cargo as competitors in Canada, Mexico and along the US Gulf and east coasts actively try to lure business away. The new Suez Canal channel is likely to lead to an increase in the number of services from Asia to the US east coast via the Middle East, while the new Panama Canal locks will be completed next year, providing another alternative for both importers and exporters based in the US heartlands.