Stalled Ships Impact the Ongoing Construction Materials Shortage

As everyone knows, roofing contractors and others throughout the construction industry face challenges related to material delays. Some supply deliveries are late, while other items are impossible to get under any timeframe. And at the end of August, the Marine Exchange of Southern California reported a situation that was only adding to the backups. It seems 44 freight ships were at anchor, stuck and waiting for entry into Los Angeles and Long Beach, two of the state’s largest ports. According to the marine exchange, the number of container ships awaiting entry is usually one or zero.

This unprecedented backlog is the result of a few factors: surges in holiday buying, the labor shortage, and disruptions due to COVID-19. According to Port of Los Angeles data, the container ships’ average wait time had escalated to 7.6 days.