Customers suffer effects of US container shortage

A SHORTAGE of container equipment for shipments from the US continues to take its toll on local shipping companies. For Corinne French of local groupage operator United Maritime Logistics, one of the main challenges is securing empty containers for inland US shipments. “Due to the shortage of equipment, containers are being filled at the ports with little or no space left for shipments from inland states,” says French. Although UML makes every effort to push the empties inland, they are just not getting there and nor are they getting the containers back, thereby further exacerbating the shortage. “This shortage is a worldwide phenomenon that we are unable to solve by ourselves,” says French. And with the US being UML’s main route, the company doesn’t want to lose out on potential business due to an equipment shortfall. Eric Houniet, director at Excellence Forwarding, is also feeling the pinch. “Most of the shipping lines are suffering from a shortage of all sizes of containers,” says Houniet. “Alternatively there isn’t an equal distribution of equipment at the various ports.” He explains that certain ports have more than enough equipment for shipments, but that’s no consolation for busier ports. “Recently, a port only a few hours away from where our shipment was being held had all the necessary equipment that our port was lacking,” said Houniet. “However, it was going to cost an additional $1300 to transport it the short distance. This was a cost that we simply couldn’t afford.” In the interim, steps are being taken to collect equipment from ports that have an overflow. However, ultimately clients will bear the shortage brunt as equipment costs are increasing and shipping schedules are disrupted while containers are located.