SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. —
Supply chain experts are warning shoppers to get holiday shopping done early this year because of the backlog of cargo ships waiting to get into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
A record number of ships are waiting their turn in line to drop off containers full of electronics, toys, furniture, and other retail goods.
Shipping is up 50% from pre-pandemic levels, according to Los Angeles Port Director Gene Seroka
“What you are seeing now is an advance of the Christmas season. That means you are not going to find the products you want as quickly as normal," said Seroka. "If you are shopping for the holidays start now."
Although the Port of San Diego is much smaller and not equipped for the large vessels stuck outside Los Angeles, they are helping where they can.
San Diego just accepted a medium-sized vessel with retail cargo for a very well-known home improvement company. The shipping containers are then delivered by truck up to LA.
“We are working with the shipping line and with that company to meet their needs to bring in a reasonable number of containers,” said Greg Borrosay with the Port of San Diego.
“We are not equipped on San Diego Bay to handle those mega vessels, nor do we want to because I don’t think the residents of San Diego County want those huge monstrous cranes on our bay,” said Borrosay.
Helping ports north of San Diego beyond the holiday rush could bring permanent businesses.
“What we hope to do out of this situation in LA and Long Beach is to develop long-term additional and sustainable business lines in San Diego," said Borrosay. "It’s good for jobs, it’s good for the economy and we feel it’s a good opportunity for us not to solve the whole problem but address areas where we could be of value.”
WATCH RELATED: San Diego's top stories for Sept. 23, 2021 at 6 p.m.