To ease the strain, the president of the United States has decided to keep America's largest ports open around the clock.
Speaking from the White House during an afternoon press conference on Oct. 13, President Joe Biden said the Port of Los Angeles will remain open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Traditionally, our ports have only been open during the week, Monday through Friday, and they're generally closed down at nights and on weekends," Biden explained, per Yahoo News. "By staying open seven days a week through the night and on the weekends, the Port of Los Angeles will [remain] open over 60 extra hours."
Biden added that doing so will nearly double the number of hours that the port was open in the first half of 2021. More time to get work done leads to more time for goods to get offloaded and shipped to their intended destinations.
40% of shipped goods come through ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
A substantial amount of freight passes through the Port of Los Angeles. Combined with the Port of Long Beach, approximately 40% of the goods shipped from overseas come from these two ports alone.
The president's announcement comes as retailers, manufacturers and other producers prepare for the all-important holiday shopping season. Due to the ongoing shortage of truck drivers, a low worker participation rate and many job opportunities that remain unfilled, consumers are left wondering whether their planned purchases will be available for them to buy. And if they are in stock, it's possible that they may not arrive in a timely manner.
Biden said keeping the ports open 24/7 should help to improve conditions by allowing for more movement and overall access.
"This is a big first step in speeding up the movement of materials and goods through our supply chain. And now we need the rest of the private sector chain to step up as well."
Walmart, Home Depot to extend work hours
Several major organizations are doing just that. In addition to Walmart — the world's largest retailer and employer — entities like Home Depot, UPS and FedEx are expanding the number of hours they operate, CNBC reported. Other companies staying open for longer or extending their operating hours include big box retailer Target and consumer electronics manufacturer Samsung.
During his speech, Biden noted that in the days and weeks ahead, he will leverage every available additional federal resource to further reduce the bottlenecks affecting the supply chain. However, experts say that it may take some time for the White House's plan to start paying dividends, largely due to the backups that will need to work their way out.
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