Introduction
The U.S. west coast ports handle over 60% of all import cargo coming into the United States. Throughout 2014, a number of different factors have escalated and resulted in disruptions to imports coming into the U.S. through these ports.
As businesses reliant on importing through the west coast wrestle with uncertainty of transit times and delivery dates, the situation could worsen further. Supply chain disruptions could result in:
- Imports at sea being backed up offshore without access causing increased carrying costs
- Inventories being rapidly depleted
- Manufacturing facilities production disrupted due to lack of components
- Lost sales through a lack of goods
For businesses reliant on imports through the west coast, developing a robust risk mitigation strategy is imperative to navigate through these disruptions.