editor:Jessie

　　Some furniture retailers aren’t able to show off their complete lines of products at a major Las Vegas exhibition this week because of U.S. port delays, an example how congestion isn’t just hurting shippers’ current sales but also their future business prospects.

　　New Classic and Emerald Home Furnishings, for example, had to make due with the products they had at hand for the Las Vegas Market after shipments of new products for display were delayed, according to Furniture Today, a publication covering furniture retailer and manufacturing news. Legends Furniture was forced to show photos of three bedroom models as the actual products were still sitting on a ship Sunday and has been since Dec. 28.

　　“Our new case goods are still sitting in the port,” said Emerald Home Furnishings CEO David Beckmann after none of the company’s new models made it to the show. “We’re showing our Vietnam warehouse program, because it’s in stock. We were confident our Vegas strategy would work — we shipped very early.”

　　U.S. West Coast port congestion has gotten so bad that marine terminals said they had to suspend vessel operations on all shifts Monday to clear their dangerously congested facilities. The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents marine terminals, says International Longshore and Warehouse Union worker slowdowns have exacerbated congestion at the ports. The ILWU rejects PMA accusations that it’s engaging in slowdown actions and withholding skilled labor.

　　The ILWU and PMA, which have been in contract talks for eight months, have engaged in a game of brinkmanship in recent weeks despite the involvement of a federal mediator.

　　(JOC.COM)