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    Logistics

    September 14, 2021

    Port Congestion Further Hampering Supply-Chains

    Written by David Schollaert

    Container ships are stacking up all around the U.S. as the ports are overwhelmed by surging imports of all types of goods. Delays at the ports may further extend the already-long lead times for the growing orders of foreign steel.

    Imports of all types of products from Asia, for example, increased 32.4% in the first seven months of this year versus the same period in 2020, according to IHS Markit’s PIERS data provider. The double-digit increase is stressing ports already contending with logistics delays and labor shortages, causing vessels to bunch up in the early days of peak shipping season.

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

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