Suez Canal ship backlog will have 'ripple effects' in Windsor-Essex

The cargo ship Ever Given is free after being stranded in the Suez Canal for nearly aweek. But now, thoughthe busy shipping channelhas reopened,the saga isn't over.

And the "ripple effects" of the episode on the global shipping network will eventually be felt here in Windsor, particularly by the grain industry, according to Steve Salmons, CEO of the Windsor Port Authority.

Locally, Salmons expects atrickle down effectin the coming weeks. The ships expected to arrive in Windsorto pick up grain harvested last year could be delayed as a result of backlogs on the Suez.

Those delays in moving grainproduct could have consequences for farmers' bottom line, he said.

"In Windsor, we're a major grain exporter," he said. "Eighty per cent of all grain grown in the three-counties area here comes through the Port of Windsor and is exported out to across the globe."

Cargo ship freed from Suez Canal, but shipping backlog could last

3 years ago

Duration 2:01

The huge cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal, blocking it for nearly a week, has been set free. While the online fascination may soon fade, the shipping backlog could take a little longer.

The grain backup means shipping companiesmay not be able to carry other products as scheduled, or those other product shipping commitments mean they won't be back to pick up grain.

"So, we don't know ultimately what it's going to mean to us. We do know there's a trickle effect," he said.

Normally, about$11.3 billionworth of goodsare shipped through the canal daily, and there was a backlog of nearly400 ships when Ever Givenwas moved on Monday.

The combination of the closure plus the backlog of other vessels waiting to get throughamounts to two weeks lost, Salmons said.

"So when you lose two weeks out of an international world-connected transportation highway, you slow down the entire global economy, and that affects every one of us, no matter where you live on the globe."

Consumer goods affected

Windsor has the third-largest port on the Canadian side of Great Lakes, and the 10th largest in Canada, Salmons said.

"This is a significant port with a lot of material and product coming and going," he said.

Salmonssaid the region could also see delays in the arrival of steel. And the Ever Given episode could ultimately affect what we see on store shelves in thenear future.

Arrival of consumer goods shipped by container could be delayed at bigger ports like Montreal and Vancouver.

"We're going to see, wait a minute,we don't have that TV in stock. That patio set I wanted to buy this spring isn't available because it's sitting on a container ship two weeks late," he said.