As some West Coast port congestion eases in the United States, there’s reason to believe that the paper industry supply chain is showing signs of righting itself. That may ultimately be the case, but the sheer reach and impact of the disruption indicates no quick fix is on the horizon.
In the United States, diversion of shipments from overwhelmed West Coast ports to East Coast destinations is on the cusp of causing major delays and backups along the Atlantic seaboard. Overseas, escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war and mandatory Shanghai COVD-19 shutdowns are causing similar concern. Without access to the world’s largest container port, other Chinese ports and airports are being inundated with exports and unable to keep pace with demand.
