The lack of container availability

“You have to be prepared to pay elevated rates. The Shanghai index [Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI)] plus a premium, in some cases a large premium. You don’t want to pay the cheapest price on the boat because if you do, your goods are not going to move.

“When you see in many cases you have to pay $5,000 or $6,000 [including a premium] just to get space on vessels. Otherwise you have to wait three or four weeks. Until the issues with container availability are resolved, you really want to pay the elevated rate. I don’t see that importers have any other option.”

Indeed, other coalition members told of similar experiences with THE LACK OF CONTAINER AVAILABILITY , which is occurring because the profit to send and reposition empty containers in Asia is far greater than waiting several days to fill up containers in America. with export-bound goods.