We have all seen the shocking image of the ship on the news Ever given crossed in the Suez Canal. After imagining the "pitote" that must have been bundled on both sides of the channel, with the ships unable to cross it, we quickly forget the subject thinking that this is "too far away" without giving it much importance.
But the fact is that said blocking of one of the most important river container crossings in the world can affect the supply chain of any product worldwide, either by stopping production due to lack of components, or delayed delivery of finished items ready to reach distribution centers.
The blockage that has occurred in the Suez Canal will undoubtedly affect the global supply chain, including delaying shipments of electronic components and devices over the next several weeks, assuming it can be fixed in a few days at best.
By a sandstorm
The Ever Given, one of the largest shipping vessels in the world, ran aground in the Suez Canal this Wednesday, in the middle of a sandstorm. The ship has been traversed and wedged into the canal, blocking one of the busiest trade routes in the world.
You have already caused a traffic jam with the blocking of the hundreds of ships and broader ramifications for navigation such as ports full of stationary containers. Although the authorities are working hastily to clear the canal in a few days, even a short 'hiatus' can have a major impact on the global supply chain.
The impact of the traffic jam is already being felt in just-in-time shipping chains. If the Ever Given stays stuck for a week or more days, the ocean shipping routes will suffer and you will add at least an additional 10 days in the usual delivery times.
12% of the world market passes through the Suez Canal
Around the 12% of world trade circulates through the Suez Canal. And while most consumer products shipped to the US make it to the West Coast from Asia, diverted traffic will congest ports that are already experiencing delays and delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and an increase in demand. of consumer electronics.
Most chipmakers ship their time-sensitive materials over the air, so it's unclear how much assemblers will be affected. Because of that, it is more likely that the Suez Canal incident «affect finished products than the chipmakers themselves, ”Gartner Research analyst Alan Priestley told The Wall Street Journal.
Although canal controllers could re-float the ship this week, the ships on standby will not be able to move immediately through the canal. Trade route inspections, as well as speed limits, will slow the return to normal traffic for many days. All this assuming the Ever Given has not been damaged. that require it to be towed from the canal, much slower operation than if you cross it on your own.
Apple may not be too affected by
Compared to other device makers, Apple has not been as affected by the global chip shortage that currently exists. In addition, it does not usually use sea transport much for deliveries after new launches, due to the rush that this entails.
However, Apple has had supply problems in the past related to delays in shipping lines, since it periodically supplies the stock of its stores with scheduled shipments by ship, while sending orders to its users by plane.