Shipping Delays Pushes For New Production Timeline
With ongoing delays and closures, non-stop demand for ocean freight from Asia to the US, lack of port space, rates continue to be significantly inflated. We see more shipping and less capacity at ports, causing a 46% increase in transit time. Not only is there no space for ships to dock, but the cost of shipping a container from Asia-US West Coast is 6x the price, going up almost 466%.
High ocean freight volumes started last year, which quickly moved into peak season. The demand hasn’t eased up since and has gotten busier. According to Freightos, “[The] infrastructure isn’t built to have a non-stop demand at ports; so there has been no breathing room to clear international backlog shipments.” With that being said, we will continue to see extended transit times and higher prices.
Peak season is upon us, and PCF wants to share a new timeline for fabric productions. As we adapt to these delays and increases, we want to be transparent about estimated arrival times. The quote received from our Logistics team is 13-16 weeks for productions. Planning collections ahead of time will help brands stay on schedule. No pun intended, but we are all in the same boat. These significant changes are happening on a global level and will possibly push through to 2022. Stay ahead of the delays and start planning your fabric productions now!
Please contact your Fabric Specialist if you have any questions about fabric productions or shipping delays!