Ports Of Los Angeles, Long Beach -- Getting Worse, Not Better -- November 2, 2021

Before we get to that, the ports of Los Angeles, look at this: Sue Herera was back in the CNBC studio this morning -- about 9:30 a.m. CT -- with the regularly scheduled news break. Wow, so nice to see her back. She was given a big "retirement" send-off back in February, 2021 -- but apparently she will come back periodically. Here's that "send-off."

Now, back to the LA ports story. 

Watch for CNBC transcript later today. 

Something like 73 container ships still anchored off-shore. In other words, no movement since "the Biden speech." 

"Let's go, Brandon."

Spokesperson for the port, with the "new" solution. Part of the reason for the backlog is that the port has no space for any more containers. No more space for any more containers.The port is now going to simply move those tens of thousands -- was it around 87,000 containers? -- off to the side, forget about them, and get to them when they can. These are not empty containers; they are full. They are simply containers with "stuff" the port authority feels are not particularly time-sensitive. For example, those containers with products destined for Halloween outlets ... well Halloween is over. There's no longer any need to get those "Halloween" containers to their destinations. Wow. Pretty soon Thanksgiving will be over.

One wonders who decides what containers are no longer time-sensitive or were never time-sensitive to begin with. But that's what they plan on doing. Simply move tens of thousands of filled containers and getting to them when they get to them.

Apparently the cut-off point is nine days. Containers that have been on the docks for more than nine days and not deemed "important" will be moved to the side and "forgotten." 

Rumor: buyers for Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, 99 Cent are swarming to the southern California docks. 

Also, you may have heard that some companies -- like Walmart? -- are buying / renting their own container ships. Doesn't help. The newcomers have no reservations and will fall in line well behind the other 73 container ships already in line. Berth slots are by reservation only.