With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the household goods moving industry began seeing delays caused by global container imbalances. The shipping of personal protective equipment (PPE) from China to Europe and the U.S., along with the shift in consumer activity and the general slowdown of global trade disrupted typical container flows. As global trade bounced back, shippers have been unable to meet the demand. Factors contributing to the container crisis include: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the household goods moving industry began seeing delays caused by global container imbalances. The shipping of personal protective equipment (PPE) from China to Europe and the U.S., along with the shift in consumer activity and the general slowdown of global trade disrupted typical container flows. As global trade bounced back, shippers have been unable to meet the demand. Factors contributing to the container crisis include: Learn more about what is causing the container crisis by watching these videos and reading these articles: When booking sea freight, shipping lines provide Sterling Lexicon an estimated time of departure; however, they are frequently postponing departure dates without explanation. Loading and shipping of the container is entirely at the discretion of the shipping line. Information on final departures and arrivals will be communicated immediately, upon confirmation. The final arrival of the shipping vessel depends heavily on the traffic at the port of entry. The vessel needs to be offloaded to access the container for import customs clearance. In some ports, massive unloading bottlenecks are causing delays and vessels are being offloaded approximately 5 to 7 days after arrival. After customs clearance, the container is free, and we can schedule final delivery of the shipment. Currently, delays are anywhere from two to eight weeks. Lengths of delays are dependent on the shipment’s destination, proximity to the port and availability of labor and equipment such as containers, chassis, trucks and vessel space. Temporary storage is often needed as a result of the container shortage and short-notice cancellations by shipping lines. Until containers and vessel capacity are available, household goods need to be safely stored in a warehouse. This is typically quoted on move estimates as: Once packing dates have been set, Sterling Lexicon will book the container on a shipping vessel and receive date estimates. However, shipping lines reserve the right to re-book a container on a different vessel. Due to the demand for capacity, cargo is sometimes being prioritized based on pricing. As a result, no “reservations” or “guaranteed bookings” are being accepted. Current delays impact all ports, globally, and shipping lines follow a set travel schedule which cannot be influenced. Additionally, the import customs clearance of the shipment determines the required port of entry in the respective host country. While container shipment delays are currently the norm, there are sometimes exceptions. A delay-free shipment can occur, but it is fully beyond the control of the moving company. Shipping vessels carry up to 23,000 containers, and the complexity of the shipping process (loading, route planning, container positioning on board, unloading, etc.) does not permit negotiations. Some shipping lines have already stopped shipping household goods and personal effects. Unfortunately, we expect delays to ocean freight shipments to continue through 2022. At this stage, we cannot be sure when the disruption will stabilize. Please contact your dedicated Sterling Lexicon team member or complete our contact form. We'll get right back to you.
What is causing the global supply chain crisis?
What is causing the global supply chain crisis?
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What should I do to prepare for my move?
Why are shipping dates not being advised up front?
Why are delivery dates only advised last minute?
How much time for delays should we factor into our plans?
Why is temporary storage of the household goods needed?
Is there a way to “reserve” vessel capacity or guarantee a booking?
Why are shipments not routed through different ports?
Why did my colleague who moved at the same time not experience any delays?
Why are moving companies not putting more pressure on shipping lines?
How long will this crisis continue?
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