BCCI president says delays in getting cargo could affect goods for Christmas

Barbadian consumers can expect to be impacted by increasing shipping delays for the upcoming Christmas season and beyond.

President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) James Clarke shared the news with Barbados TODAY on Thursday as he disclosed that the late arrival of goods would extend as far as February next year.

“I did a poll of the retail members, and yes, they are experiencing delays, mainly with goods through the Panama Canal which have been reduced earlier in the year…and from November 3 were reduced again, and apparently from February 1 next year, they are going to be reduced even further down to nearly 50 per cent of what they normally are,” he revealed.

Daily ship crossings at the Panama Canal, one of the world’s main maritime trade routes, are being reduced due to a severe drought. Booking slots have been cut to 25 per day from an already reduced 31 per day, and that will be gradually reduced further over the next three months to 18 slots from next February.

Ship owners have the options of carrying less cargo, shifting to alternate routes that can add thousands of miles to the trip or grappling with queues that earlier this month backed up 160 vessels and delayed some ships by as much as 21 days.

To make matters worse, Clarke said, importers were also facing major problems with the transshipment of goods through the Kingston Port in Jamaica.

“…. They are working assiduously to clear [that] . . . . So yes, importers are experiencing delays for those reasons,” Clarke said.

He said the implications for consumers would depend on the country of origin of the items.

“But I have been advised that delays can be from two to four weeks, depending on where it’s coming from. So, that could have implications for cargo arriving for the season. I am not saying they will not get here, but just will not get here at the anticipated time. But as to what it is and to the extent and so on, that I don’t have,” Clarke said.

He also could not say, at this stage, whether any additional shipping costs would be passed on to consumers.

“That, I am not sure. I am not sure if there will be additional shipping costs or charges for the container,” the BCCI head said.

His advice to consumers is to keep monitoring the situation, which may mean having to reach out directly to local retailers.

“If you see something and you need it, or there is going to be a shortage, or things may arrive late, or whatever the case may be, you have to keep looking, you have to keep checking to see what’s coming in, or you may have to make contact with the actual retailer to find out if you can get some idea from them as to when their goods are coming in,” he recommended.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb