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One of World's Largest Port Operators Warns Global Supply Chain 'Crisis' Will Last Longer Than Expected Speaking to Bloomberg News, Dubai's DP World Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said he expects bottlenecks to continue until 2023. The issues will result in higher costs for shipping goods, he warned.

By The Epoch Times Edited by Charles Muselli

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The operator of one of the busiest ports in the world suggested that global supply chain bottlenecks will last for around two years.

Speaking to Bloomberg News, Dubai's DP World Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said he expects bottlenecks to continue until 2023. The issues will result in higher costs for shipping goods, he warned.

"The global supply chain was in crisis in the beginning of the pandemic," Sulayem told the news outlet, adding that "freight rates will continue to increase." And "maybe in 2023, we'll see an easing," he continued.

Some analysts and other port operators have said that supply chains are struggling to keep pace with demand and deal with labor disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and quarantines.

Sulayem's DP World is one of the largest operators of marine ports and cargo terminals in the world, with hubs in Africa, India, Russia, Europe, and the Americas.

"Even now, every time they see an incident of COVID in China, they shut down a port," he said. "Many manufacturers around the world are delayed by as much as three years because they can't get components from China. They're taking a very, very aggressive approach."

Suggesting a move away from relying on Chinese markets and possibly the regime's controversial Belt and Road Initiative, Sulayem noted there is "huge potential in India and that reflects in DP World's investments. Africa continues to grow, and there's also Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia."

Meanwhile, the world's largest shipping firm, A.P. Moller-Maersk, warned that bottlenecks could last longer than anticipated.

"There have been many challenging periods over the years, but the situation over the last 12 months is unique, in as much as it has had a global impact. All continents are seeing high volumes and operational challenges, restricting both ocean and land-side capacity at the same time," Maersk said in a mid-September update.

The firm pointed to COVID-19 outbreaks and associated shutdowns for the slowdown in operations.

"Regardless if it is a port, vessel, or warehouse, when one becomes impacted it quickly results in a downward spiral as delays accumulate," said Maersk's update. "We see pockets of improvements, only to get setbacks when our operations encounters new COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns."

Last week, several industry groups that represent truck drivers, shipping workers, and airline workers issued a warning to the United Nations General Assembly that governments need to work toward improving freedom of movement relating to trade.

If nothing is done, they warned of a "global transport system collapse" and suggested that "global supply chains are beginning to buckle as two years' worth of strain on transport workers take their toll," according to a letter.

"All transport sectors are also seeing a shortage of workers, and expect more to leave as a result of the poor treatment millions have faced during the pandemic, putting the supply chain under greater threat," their letter said. "We also ask that WHO and the ILO raise this at the U.N. General Assembly and call on heads of government to take meaningful and swift action to resolve this crisis now," they wrote.

By Jack Phillips

Jack Phillips is a reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York.

The Epoch Times, founded in 2000, is headquartered in Manhattan, New York, with a mission to provide independent and accurate information free of political bias or corporate influence. The organization was established in response to censorship within China and a lack of global awareness regarding the Chinese regime's repression of the spiritual practice Falun Gong.

The Epoch Times is a widely read newspaper that is distributed in 33 countries and is available in 21 languages. The publication has been critical in providing balanced and detailed reporting on major global events such as the 2003 SARS pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis. Notably, the organization has played a key role in exposing corruption inside China.

Aside from its human rights coverage, The Epoch Times has made significant contributions in a variety of fields. It has received praise for its in-depth analysis and expert perspectives on business, the economy and U.S. politics. The newspaper has also received praise for its broad coverage of these topics.

A series of editorials titled "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" appeared in The Epoch Times in 2004. It asserts that freedom and prosperity in China can only be achieved by eliminating the Communist Party, which violated China's cultural and spiritual values. In addition, the organization led the Tuidang movement, which resulted in over 400 million Chinese citizens quitting the Communist Party. In spite of this, 90% of websites referring to the "Nine Commentaries" were blocked by the Chinese regime.

The Epoch Times has been at the forefront of investigating high-level corruption cases within the Chinese regime, with its reporters taking significant risks to uncover these stories. The organization has received several awards for its investigative journalism.

The organization has received several awards for its investigative journalism. For more, visit www.theepochtimes.com.

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