Ports Race to Clear Cargo, Fearing an Import Overload When China Lifts Lockdowns

Western ports are bracing for increased congestion when China eventually lifts stringent Covid-19 restrictions in major cities, which could come just as many importers start to load up for the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

Import gateways such as California’s Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, which handle more than a third of all containers coming into the U.S., are still inundated with uncollected cargo more than two years into the pandemic.