The Institute for Supply Management’s latest round of survey results revealed some important insights into how COVID-19 is currently impacting global supply chains. While many respondents remain hopeful about what the next 12 months have to offer, remote work complications, shipment delays, and supplier risks were among the top concerns industry professionals listed.
Another major problem supply chains face is the threat severe weather poses, especially as we start to approach California’s peak wildfire season. The state has already endured 1,812 fires this year alone, and fire season doesn’t technically peak until September-November. As the industry works to combat climate change issues like this, global maritime regulators like the International Maritime Organization are also fighting to reduce carbon emissions by rating how much pollution today’s vessels produce.
In other news, port congestion in South China is at an all-time high right now as delays resulting from Yantian International Container Terminal’s recent COVID-19 exposure start to flow into neighboring ports like Shekou and Nansha. According to The Loadstar, Maersk is “now expecting delays of 14 days, with productivity at berths in the western areas of YICT, where mainline vessels call, still only at 30%.”
Then, we have soaring U.S. import volumes with no additional space left to put them, given the way carriers are controlling capacity and how tight the market is right now. Check out the following links to learn more about this week’s top international shipping news:
