Not Enough Ships To Send NW Products Overseas

SHIPPING  BUSINESS  PACIFIC 

By Austin Jenkins

Olympia, WA  May 18, 2008 4:39 p.m.

Business is booming for Northwest exporters. That’s because of the weakened U.S. dollar. But now companies that need to get their products overseas are running into a problem. There aren’t enough ships to take the goods. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Exports may be up, but imports to the Northwest are not keeping pace. That means fewer ships are arriving on our shores.

As a result space is at a premium on outbound vessels.

Larry Jansky is a trader for North Pacific Group in Portland. He trades peas, lentils and beans – as well as other Northwest agricultural products. Jansky says he has to reserve container space on ships way in advance.

Larry Jansky: “We take a number right now to get on a vessel. Right now we’re booking for June and if we can get July bookings we will book for July. We’re literally a month and a half out. It’s like making an airline reservation. You pretty much better make it long in advance or you don’t get a space.”

Instead of coming to U.S. ports, some shipping lines are sending their vessels to more lucrative European markets.

Another concern: some exporters have encountered a shortage of empty shipping containers. However port officials in the Northwest say they don’t see evidence of a shortage of those boxy, metal containers.

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© 2008 KPLU