Writing in a recent Wine Spectator article, Collin Dreizen reports that: “When the massive container ship Ever Given managed to wedge itself sideways in the Suez Canal on March 23, blocking traffic for nearly a week, it provided a fitting symbol for the state of global shipping in the past year. And while dredging, tugboats and the high tide of a full moon, freed the ship, the shipping slowdowns continue. For wine lovers, that means some of their favorites may not be on store shelves anytime soon.”
Dreizen goes on to write that: “Importers gave a sigh of relief when the Biden Administration paused the tariffs on wines from France, Spain, and Germany last month. But they continue to face a major challenge: It has become increasingly difficult to get wines, or any cargo for that matter, to the U.S., and in the short term it is possible that the tariff reprieve has made things worse.
While global shipping had become a logistical nightmare for many companies after the pandemic shutdowns began, the wine industry’s problems started earlier: when the Trump administration imposed the tariffs as part of a fight over airplane manufacturing. Importers began delaying orders from Europe to avoid deeper costs.”
Shipments of tariffed wines decreased by 30 to 40 percent in some months during 2020. Importers adjusted their pricing and logistics, but then there was a new snag. Not only did the pandemic shut down vital customers like restaurants, but it also made shipping far more difficult.
Altogether, these trends have put worldwide shipping in a state of disarray, creating delays, holding up cargo at ports and dramatically reducing available freight space for several industries.
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