FMC Commissioner notes pick-up in trans-Pacific trades
Written by Nick Blenkey
Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel (Image: FMC}
In a statement on the impact of the coronavirus on the maritime industry, Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel notes that, in response to its effects on Chinese manufacturing and logistics services, ocean carriers have been forced to cancel services (“blanked sailings”) to and from China and the United States.
The Federal Maritime Commission has been monitoring levels of blanked sailings and conferring with ocean carrier representatives about levels of service and the potential resumption of normal trade.
Information provided from shipping lines involved in the trans-Pacific trades indicates that cargo levels and services are resuming to pre-coronavirus levels. It should be expected that coronavirus impacts will linger over the next few weeks while vessels are engaged in the cross-Pacific transit, and hopefully, says the statement, “we are poised to achieve normalcy in the transport of goods,” though there may still be logistical challenges in processing cargoes into U.S. commerce.
“I was heartened to hear that shipping lines have indicated that there is cargo for pickup and that trucking and port operations have substantially resumed in China,” says Commissioner Bentzel. “I remain concerned that there will continue to be negative economic impacts as a result of delays, as shipments transit the Pacific from China. I would hope that the industry resists the temptation to take actions to price gouge or otherwise unfairly leverage their position.
“It will be necessary for all segments of the transportation industry from the marine terminals to trucking and rail services to help pitch in to secure normalcy. Our ability to recover from this economic disruption through the resumption of maritime commerce underscores the criticality and importance of our maritime trade. Hopefully the resumption of this service can allow our nation to recover as rapidly as possible.”
