On June 7, according to the monthly global port tracking report jointly released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates, retail container ports ushered in the busiest April in history, and it is expected that May will be the same.

As importers compete to meet consumer demand, the throughput of North America's largest retail container port will hit a record high.

In recent months, as many as 40 container ships have berthed at the largest container port in the United States in Long Beach, Los Angeles. In other words, there are 100,000 containers waiting to be unloaded.

NRF vice president of supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold said that the retail supply chain is working overtime, but it is still plagued by shortages of labor, equipment and transportation capacity.

He added: "Supply chain disruption, port congestion and rising transportation costs may continue to be challenges until the end of the year."

Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said that many people are still hesitant to return to some key supply chain nodes in the retail industry, which will affect ports, railroads, trucking and distribution centers.

He pointed out: “Some vessels suspended due to low cargo volumes remain in dry docks, while other vessels are delayed in crowded ports. These ports are facing manpower shortages due to the COVID-19 epidemic and tight labor markets.”