Last weekend I got some interesting very local updates on supply chain bottlenecks up here in the Puget Sound area and commented on a thread about the topic. Our local wine makers can’t get bottles, corks, labels, OR new casks for aging. Our paint stores are having trouble getting pigments and other additives for popular formulations.
Even earlier I’ve read articles in the Seattle times about cargo container vessels sitting in Puget Sound, waiting to be unloaded — for weeks. The jam-up has gotten so bad the port of Seattle has had to put ships in “overflow” parking — harbors that probably haven't seen any big ships moored in decades — like up by Whidbey Island — and since there’s no power at the moorings, the ships have to keep their generators running. The noise and stink are really annoying the islanders. There are 10 ships in various spots in upper Puget Sound, probably more down towards Tacoma, and four more on the way. There are a record breaking 71 ships moored at Port of LA and Port of Long Beach in CA.
With that as an introduction — I opened up today’s Sunday Seattle Times, and in the business section was an article about Pres. Biden appointing an “envoy” (John D. Porcari — former Dep. Trasportation Sec. for Pres. Obama, advisor to Pres. Biden before inauguration) to work with West Coast port authorities, a WH task force, and the Dept. of Transportation to help untangle the supply chain mess at the ports — starting with LA and Long Beach, since that’s the biggest jam up.
Porcari wants to concentrate on creating a “more resilient and future facing supply chain” — and the WH said its work on supply chains (Pres. Biden ordered a review starting back in February and formed the WH task force in June) had identified problems going back years (and decades in some cases) that “will need the attention of a dedicated official” (and some really good logistics experts).
I hope a major part of this will involve a fundamental rethinking of the basic premises of the supply chain. The (blind) focus has been on speed (just in time) and lowest possible cost. It’s about time we focused a lot more on resilience, redundancy, and major GHG reduction. (one hopeful sign is that electric vehicle batteries were specifically called out as an area of concern)
Sunday, Aug 29, 2021 · 4:54:47 PM +00:00
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DButch
One other interesting thing — I didn’t see anything about this in the press over the last weeks and months. I wonder what else Pres. Biden has had moving along quietly in the background, even while cleaning up the covid-19 vaccine mess TFG left behind, preparing to rip the band aid off the Afghanistan war, and backing Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer in grinding legislation along. “Sleepy Joe” my hairy Scots arse!