Despite claims by the Biden administration that the log jam at Port of Long Beach is getting better, new data suggest that, in fact, it’s getting worse, with longer wait times and less cargo being transferred onshore.
The administration is using one set of numbers, while geo-data tracking software says the number is far different.
“The inconsistency in the number of ships stems from a new policy recently employed by shipping trade groups that encouraged incoming vessels to wait out in the open ocean amid these traffic jams—rather than at the backed-up ports,” said the Daily Mail.
So apparently ~100 cargo ships waiting at the Port of LA / Long Beach left the area and are headed elsewhere.
They have NOT been unloaded, and they’re likely headed to other ports north or south in order to offload their cargo.
Such is LA’s incomprehensible strictures.
— Dr. Shooty McBeardface™ (@ShootyMcBeard) December 17, 2021
Even as the new policy pushes more ships out farther at sea, it lowers the number of ships technically waiting in port.
“The container pile-up has moved elsewhere and increased. Ships wait longer to berth. The ship queue has moved farther offshore,” said the Federalist.
Another ploy used by authorities said the Federalist, is to move containers inland to a temporary holding area so they aren’t counted.
“Private companies set up temporary sites in recent weeks. Containers shuttled there are omitted from the ports’ official count of landed containers waiting to be hauled across the United States,” Federalist wrote.
The numbers aren’t getting any better either; they are getting worse.
“Statistics from the Marine Exchange show that the number of backlogged ships waiting to dock at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is still on the rise, with port officials’ new policy concerning the distance from the coast that ships can dock only masking the issue,” said the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile at the port of Los Angeles the port director has said that he’s open to using the National Guard to make up for the 3,000 to 4,000 missing truck drivers they need to handle shipping containers.
“Gene Seroka, executive director for the Port of Los Angeles, confirmed during a Washington Post online event that the White House in October explored the possibility of utilizing National Guard troops to drive trucks with containers amid a perceived shortage of operators, or help with unloading,” reported Freight Waves.
“The port chief said only 50% of appointments for container exchanges are being filled because of what he estimated is a shortage of 3,000 to 4,000 truckers in the area,” it added.
