Huge Shipping Backlog in California and in China

   

Shippers have found that the routes from China to California and back are the most busy and lucrative shipping lanes.  But Los Angeles and area which normally might handle 30  40 or 50 ships every 3 or 4 days

now are so backed up that we are seeing 70 ships.  About 35 can float close in, in line to be unloaded, but at this writing there are 70 ships, most of which are free floating in the ocean.  It is a waste of time, dollars, and 

if weather goes wrong can be costly and dangerous.    But it is not only in the US ports.  Ships which have been diverted from the Middle East and other nations, are going to the "China/California" route because 

that is where the action is, and where they can get the highest prices for their ships to carry merchandise and raw materials.

This image of September 10 showed just a few of the "drifting ships", and the number has more than tripled since then. 

China has had economic losses, weather issues, Corona Virus issues, and political conflicts, all of which hinder their efficiency.  The USA has had economic downturn then raging recovery, Corona Virus impacts upon 

the economy, wage issues, and international political issues.  Normally capitalism and the need for international commerce overcomes political and social conflicts, but this time, a "cocktail" of negative events have 

come together that is creating delays, gridlock and sometimes disaster for international shipping and commerce.   

One can only imagine the panic and turmoil that would result if some angry member of a rogue state, such as Afghanistan, Russia, China, North Korea, determined to declare war and hostility on the routes of commerce

that are already overloaded and in a partial paralyzed situation. 

History reminds us of a time when Germany declared war on shipments between the USA and Europe.  Or when the Japanese declared war on shipping in the Pacific. 

None of this even considers the impact of weather, consider the unusual wild and destructive storm systems around the world.

But more bothersome to us at Boothe Global Perspectives, are the tyrants, radicals, and trouble makers around the globe. What if they decided to attack commerce and shippping? 

 

Well informed business leaders in the USA already have recognized the massive inefficiencies in the US economy over the past 24 months. Can we imagine the turmoil and economic disruption if shipping lanes were 

disrupted by some angry nation or destructive event?