On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) said data from the Transportation Supply Chain Indicators Tracker shows the U.S. is facing historic levels of goods coming into the country.
When combined with the country’s aging infrastructure and geopolitical disruptions, the increased imports are adding to the country’s supply chain congestion and other challenges in global markets. Part of the Biden administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, the Tracker monitors information from the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Commerce, and Agriculture to assist with the flow of goods into the country.
The Task Force said even with the obstacles facing the supply chain, improvements are being seen.
“Despite challenges, there are signs of progress in our goods movement chain. The total number of container ships waiting for berths at U.S. ports has dropped by 47 percent since peaking in early February, even as containerized imports increased sharply in March for most U.S. ports,” the task force said in a press release. “The Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York/New Jersey, collectively the top 3 for container volume to the U.S., imported 260,000 more containers in March versus February—a 12 percent increase and the all-time highest month for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.”
Additionally, U.S. ports have imported nearly a half-percent more in the first quarter of 2022 than during the same time in 2021. Indications are that this strength continued in April, the task force said, noting that the Port of Los Angeles reported last week its second-best April on record. Real retail inventories, excluding autos, are at their highest levels in history and more than 8 percent above pre-pandemic levels, the task force said.
The task force said its focus remains on ensuring U.S. exporters are able to get their goods to market and maintaining lower levels of long-dwelling containers at ports, especially empty ones that could be re-loaded with U.S. products for export.