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West Coast vs. East Coast Domestic Shipping
COVID-19 is being felt in the U.S. freight industry, particularly on the West Coast. According to Transport Topics, “because of the historically high volume of imports, a shortage of warehouse space, and now COVID-19 concerns among longshoremen, the backlog to move freight is worsening.” NPR notes that the cargo bottleneck has been “building up since summer [2020],” causing cargo ships to stack up at West Coast ports. Fortunately, East Coast domestic shipping can help ease the backlog.
Companies are looking east for solutions. LSGS is an Erie, Pa-based freight forwarder offering affordable and timely domestic shipping and transloading services that can help alleviate the West Coast bottleneck.
Factors Supporting East Coast Domestic Shipping
East Coast domestic shipping makes sense because, as Axios points out, “the [West Coast] port havoc is showing up in companies’ financial reports — and threatening delays not just for consumers, but for manufacturers waiting on imported parts.” A number of factors influence this financial impact.
- There is currently a historic shipping bottleneck on the West Coast. Cargo traffic at the Port of Los Angeles was 22% higher in November [2020] than it was a year ago. Consumer spending and demand for imports are increasing, but there is not enough bandwidth in West Coast ports, making East Coast domestic shipping a more viable option.
- Port chaos on the West Coast could get worse before getting better, increasing the importance of East Coast domestic shipping. With recent stimulus checks, Americans are expected to continue increasing ordering and spending.
- The workforce continues to be hampered by the effects of the pandemic. Gene Seroka, the executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told NPR “unloading a cargo vessel right now might take twice as long as usual, and getting the cargo to its destination might take longer still.” With fewer cargo ships backlogged, this is an opportunity for East Coast-based freight forwarders.
- High demand leads to higher shipping costs. Shipping delays mean companies can’t stock or re-stock shelves. Less inventory means fewer options and higher prices – not only for consumers, but for manufacturers who rely on imported parts. East Coast freight forwarders that are prepared to step in can have a significant, positive impact on the bottom line for consumers and manufacturers.
Affordable Domestic Freight Forwarding Services by Lake Shore Global Solutions (LSGS)
With West Coast shipping currently backlogged, it can be cheaper and faster to ship cargo through an East Coast freight forwarder. Offering global freight forwarding and transloading services, LSGS specializes in domestic freight shipping and dry bulk transportation. LSGS customizes its domestic transportation services to meet the cargo, goods, raw material, and large equipment shipping needs of our customers. Full cargo insurance and logistics consulting is also available.
An affordable freight forwarder with facilities in Erie, PA, Charleston, SC, and Houston, TX, LSGS offers a variety of premium freight forwarding services, including air and ocean freight forwarding with the capability to ship Full Container Loads (FCLs) and Less Than Container Loads (LCLs). Full services include:
- FTL Shipping – LSGS utilizes flatbed trailers and step deck trailers, with a focus on making use of their full space.
- Partial Truckload & LTL Shipping – Specializing in partial load shipments, LTL shipping utilizes van trailers while PTLs utilize vans, flatbeds, step decks, and RGN trailers.
- Dry Bulk Transportation – LSGS’ partner-carrier network has an extensive fleet of dry-bulk trailers for projects of any size.
- Heavy Haul and Large Equipment Shipping – LSGS utilizes open flats, step decks, RGN trailers, and multi-axle configurations for oversized goods and large equipment shipping in the U.S.
- Food-Grade and Non-Hazardous Liquid Shipping – This service is available throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Specialized Expedite Services in the U.S. – Cargo vans, straight trucks, and sprinters expedite domestic freight shipments.
- Intermodal Transportation Solutions – LSGS’ intermodal solutions ship to all ports and rail yards across North America.
Learn More About Our Domestic Shipping & Transloading Services
While the impact of West Coast shipping backlogs continues to ripple through the U.S. economy, the demand for imported goods and online commerce shows no signs of slowing down. An already-taxed system will continue to be challenged, eventually resulting in higher costs passed along to consumers. East Coast domestic shipping is an increasingly attractive and logical alternative. Affordable freight forwarders such as LSGS can deliver the transportation and shipping networks and strategies necessary to alleviate some of the current congestion and help keep shipping costs down.
