More traffic jams at sea – One in eight goods shipped is stuck

According to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), there is still no sign of easing in supply chains at sea. “The number of sea containers in traffic jams is increasing again worldwide,” the institute reported on Wednesday. Currently, about one in eight goods shipped would get stuck. Last year, this value was only higher in two months.

Closed gates, infected employees
One of the reasons is that since the outbreak of the pandemic in China, ports have been closed several times in whole or in part because dock workers were sick. Ships then have to wait for days for loading and unloading or have to transfer to other ports, where traffic jams also arise. A similar situation has existed for the major ports in the US for a long time, partly because port logistics can no longer keep up with the unloading and further transport of the boxes. However, according to the Kiel researchers, the lockdown in the Chinese port metropolis of Shanghai, which has been in effect since the end of March, has not had any special effects.

Shut down Ukraine
The economists in Russia and Ukraine are aware of further developments in shipping traffic. “In Russia’s three largest ports, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Novorossiysk, container freight traffic has already been halved. European companies and shipping companies apparently restrict maritime transport. The same should apply to trade via the more important road transport,” say the economists. The sanctions imposed are noticeable here. Ukraine, on the other hand, is practically cut off from international maritime trade. The country’s main port, Odessa on the Black Sea, has since the outbreak of the war, no large container ship was called upon.

The data from the ifW researchers should provide information about how world trade is developing.