Shipping volumes out of China plummeted in February as factory shutdowns in the wake of the epidemic crimped industrial production. Containership operators have canceled nearly 60 trans-Pacific sailings to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. , in the first quarter and more than 110 to all of North America. Normally there are about 200 sailings of container ships across the Pacific a month. That means fewer ships are available to make the return journey east, and the normal turnover of containers has stalled. Created with Highcharts 6.1.1Fewer CallsThe coronavirus epidemic is hurting shippingvolumes at the Los Angeles and Long Beachports.Container ship calls by portSource: Ports of Los Angeles and Long BeachNote: 2020 is an estimate Created with Highcharts 6.1.1Average combined 1Q calls, 2017-19Los AngelesLong Beach1Q20171Q’181Q’191Q’200100200300400500600 “Right now empty [refrigerated] containers are in short supply,” said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, a trade […]