What’s Going On With Shipping?

Better Watch Sal

So have China and other heavily tariffed nations that produce all our stuff stopped shipping goods to the United States?

There’s a lot of misinformation and misunderstood statements about it floating around on anti-social media.

Some would have you believe American ports are now empty and there’s no more ships full of stuff coming to major US ports.

If you want the straight poop, you’d better watch Sal.

Who’s Sal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcSPzGTvWlI
Sal Mercogliano is a maritime historian at Campbell University and former merchant mariner and has been both a professional and volunteer firefighter. He has a YouTube channel called What’s Going on With Shipping?
https://www.youtube.com/@wgowshipping

Sal Mercogliano is a maritime historian at Campbell University and former merchant mariner and has been both a professional and volunteer firefighter. He has a YouTube channel called What’s Going on With Shipping?

In a recent 10:43 long video on What’s going on With Shipping? he breaks down the reality of container ship movements coming to the United States in recent days and weeks.

He uses these amazing things called FACTs and he backs them up with publicly available a data from ship tracking websites and statements and data from the major ports – like the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach – the largest points of entry for imported goods coming into the United States.

In the video below, Sal discusses the reports that US ports are empty and that no cargo from China is sailing to the United States.

Sal shows that beyond the shadow of a doubt, container ships from China are still heading to the US while we’re being made great again.

In a bit of over simplified summary, the ships are still coming, but many are not full and there are less of them. Watch the video. Sal has a way of explaining things in an easily understood way. I’ll let him do the talking. He what you call – AN EXPERT.

He also wears some great Hawaiian and nautical themed shirts.

What you’ll learn from Sal is that American retailers have been preparing for tariffs and the crazy uncertainty created by the Liar In Chief. You know who that is.

Retailers “front loaded” orders, therefor shipments of good in the first quarter of 2025, actually increased shipping. He also explains how long it takes these goods to reach the major ports.

While ports are not empty, things are not well and will continue to get worse as time goes on. Prices will rise and the supply chains for many goods will become increasingly strained, just as they were during the pandemic lockdown.

In the comment section of the above video, Sal provided links to the information coming directly from the ports themselves and link to one of the main marine traffic tracking websites.

You can use these tools to help draw your own conclusions about where the most idiotic trade war in history is taking our consumer-driven economy.

Marine Traffic
www.marinetraffic.com

Ports of Seattle and Tacoma Vessel Schedule
https://www.nwseaportalliance.com/cargo-operations/vessel-schedules-and-calendar

Port of Savannah Vessel Schedule
https://gaports.com/vessel-schedule/

Port of Houston Containership Schedule
https://porthouston.com/toolbox/container-terminals/schedules-arrivals/

Port of Los Angeles Cargo Operations Dashboard
https://www.portoflosangeles.org/business/operations

Port Of Los Angeles Warns ‘Difficult Decisions’ Ahead As Shipments From China Cease
https://www.investors.com/news/trump-trade-war-difficult-decisions-as-china-shipments-cease/

Port of LA’s Gene Seroka on tariff impact: Retailers have about 5-7 weeks of full inventories left
• Port of LA’s Gene Seroka on tariff imports
https://youtu.be/aetILfTwBN0