Due to the growing demand for nesting due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the number of containers used for transportation by ship continues to be in short supply worldwide.
In the emergency meeting that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been opened for the first time 23 days, the prospect of shortage container is eliminated has been shown that severe prospect of not stand.
“Demand for nesting” is expanding worldwide regarding the transportation of goods by ship, and unloading work has been delayed, especially at ports in the United States, due to labor shortages, and the shortage of containers has become serious since last fall.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism held the first meeting to discuss measures by gathering people from shipping companies as well as businesses that export automobile parts and agricultural products.
Participating businesses reported that the freight rates of ships were soaring, the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises was becoming heavier, and that there were cases of discarding agricultural products whose quality had deteriorated due to delays in transportation.
On the other hand, the person in charge of the shipping company operates a ship that carries only empty containers and reuses old or damaged containers in order to replenish the necessary ports as a countermeasure. Although we discussed, in the harbor of overseas have continued to labor shortage, it showed the view that prospect does not stand the lack of container is eliminated.
Since there are no companies that produce containers on a large scale in Japan, it is difficult to take immediate measures, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism shares information with private companies and takes countermeasures. I would like to consider whether there is any.