Shipping and Logistics

March 12, 2020
Coronavirus Disrupts Shipping/Port Operations
Written by Sandy Williams
U.S. ports are canceling shifts and closing terminals due to shipping disruption stemming from coronavirus-related production cuts in China. The largest impact is on West Coast ports that serve as primary shipping destinations for Chinese imports. More than half of the volume at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach originates from China. Container terminals at the California ports have cut back on work shifts and, as of last week, were operating at about 30 to 40 percent of their normal gate capacity. On the East Coast, the container terminal at the Port of Baltimore was closed on March 5 in response to virus-related shipping disruptions and will close again on March 17.
More than 110 sailings were canceled on the transpacific route to North America between early February to early April, according to Denmark-based maritime research group Sea-Intelligence.


