“Eye for Transport” reports that while there may be early signs for recovery in the transportation industry recovery, a considerable shipping capacity crunch for Asia-North America container shipments has sent retailers scrambling to get merchandise to store shelves. For importers rushing to ship goods ahead of the mid-February factory shutdowns for the Chinese New Year, capacity is a significant challenge. Just as the economy is starting to pick up, there are delays getting merchandise to stores. At the same time, shipping rates are being raised significantly and, in many cases, cargo has been diverted to more expensive airfreight to meet delivery deadlines. "We are now experiencing the most turbulent conditions that the transpacific market has seen in recent years," said one source.
