Seattle port busy now, but shipping gaps loom: Commissioner | The Hill
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[{'start': '0.640', 'end': '4.880', 'text': 'Joining me now is Ryan Caukins. He is'}, {'start': '2.800', 'end': '7.759', 'text': 'the commissioner of the Port of Seattle'}, {'start': '4.880', 'end': '8.880', 'text': 'with us here live in studio uh on the'}, {'start': '7.759', 'end': '10.320', 'text': 'other side of the country here in'}, {'start': '8.880', 'end': '11.920', 'text': 'Washington. Nice to see you, Ryan. You'}, {'start': '10.320', 'end': '13.679', 'text': 'too, Blake. So, you run the big port'}, {'start': '11.920', 'end': '15.679', 'text': 'there in Seattle. We do. What are you'}, {'start': '13.679', 'end': '16.880', 'text': 'seeing? Well, right now things look'}, {'start': '15.679', 'end': '18.640', 'text': "pretty good. There's still a lot of"}, {'start': '16.880', 'end': '20.560', 'text': "activity. We've got ships at birth right"}, {'start': '18.640', 'end': '24.080', 'text': "now. A couple in harbor. We're unloading"}, {'start': '20.560', 'end': '26.320', 'text': 'cargo that uh was ordered months ago. Uh'}, {'start': '24.080', 'end': '28.800', 'text': 'warehouses are full. the terminals are'}, {'start': '26.320', 'end': '30.480', 'text': "full, but we're starting to see the"}, {'start': '28.800', 'end': '32.079', 'text': 'canary and the coal mines. All right, so'}, {'start': '30.480', 'end': '34.640', 'text': "here's the comma butt. So, what's the"}, {'start': '32.079', 'end': '36.640', 'text': "comma but after all that? Uh, we're able"}, {'start': '34.640', 'end': '39.440', 'text': 'to forecast out, what kind of activity'}, {'start': '36.640', 'end': '41.600', 'text': "we're going to see weeks, months ahead,"}, {'start': '39.440', 'end': '43.360', 'text': "and we've already started to see some"}, {'start': '41.600', 'end': '44.640', 'text': 'blank sailings coming out of Asia,'}, {'start': '43.360', 'end': '46.719', 'text': 'particularly out of China. What do you'}, {'start': '44.640', 'end': '48.960', 'text': 'mean by that? Means that typically these'}, {'start': '46.719', 'end': '51.280', 'text': 'things run on a schedule. They they'}, {'start': '48.960', 'end': '53.039', 'text': 'circle the Pacific and so we know months'}, {'start': '51.280', 'end': '54.879', 'text': 'out what ships are going to be coming'}, {'start': '53.039', 'end': '56.399', 'text': 'in. And those ships will stay on that'}, {'start': '54.879', 'end': '58.239', 'text': 'same route picking up from various ports'}, {'start': '56.399', 'end': '60.960', 'text': 'in Asia, dropping off various ports on'}, {'start': '58.239', 'end': '62.480', 'text': "in North America. And in our case, we're"}, {'start': '60.960', 'end': '63.760', 'text': "starting to hear word that that they're"}, {'start': '62.480', 'end': '66.240', 'text': "going to blank a few of those. They'll"}, {'start': '63.760', 'end': '68.080', 'text': 'pull those ships out of rotation because'}, {'start': '66.240', 'end': '69.520', 'text': "there's just nothing to put on them."}, {'start': '68.080', 'end': '72.479', 'text': 'Factories have stopped producing in'}, {'start': '69.520', 'end': '74.240', 'text': 'China. US customers have asked to hold'}, {'start': '72.479', 'end': '76.080', 'text': 'those orders until they have some'}, {'start': '74.240', 'end': '77.680', 'text': "clarity on tariffs. And there's there's"}, {'start': '76.080', 'end': '80.640', 'text': 'not as much outbound either because the'}, {'start': '77.680', 'end': '82.560', 'text': 'same is happening in reverse. So goods'}, {'start': '80.640', 'end': '84.799', 'text': 'come into Seattle, right? And then they'}, {'start': '82.560', 'end': '86.080', 'text': "probably go to Boise and I'm just naming"}, {'start': '84.799', 'end': '88.400', 'text': 'cities here and make their way east and'}, {'start': '86.080', 'end': '90.159', 'text': "maybe it's all the way to Chicago. I"}, {'start': '88.400', 'end': '91.680', 'text': "don't know. But if your goods come in"}, {'start': '90.159', 'end': '94.159', 'text': 'through Seattle, what does that mean for'}, {'start': '91.680', 'end': '96.240', 'text': 'sort of the rest of the country and what'}, {'start': '94.159', 'end': '98.960', 'text': 'we could start to see or not see, I'}, {'start': '96.240', 'end': '100.799', 'text': "guess. So, we are really uh we're an"}, {'start': '98.960', 'end': '102.960', 'text': 'intermodal port, meaning it comes in off'}, {'start': '100.799', 'end': '105.280', 'text': 'a ship, gets put on a train and sent to'}, {'start': '102.960', 'end': '107.280', 'text': "Chicago or Kansas City, you know, we're"}, {'start': '105.280', 'end': '109.600', 'text': 'supplying your Targets and Walmarts'}, {'start': '107.280', 'end': '111.280', 'text': 'throughout the country and particularly'}, {'start': '109.600', 'end': '114.880', 'text': 'for all those goods that are made in in'}, {'start': '111.280', 'end': '117.439', 'text': "Asia. And so, when there's a lag in that"}, {'start': '114.880', 'end': '119.280', 'text': 'system, which is a a choreographed dance'}, {'start': '117.439', 'end': '121.680', 'text': 'that as soon as you disrupt it, it takes'}, {'start': '119.280', 'end': '124.320', 'text': 'a long time to get that back on queue.'}, {'start': '121.680', 'end': '125.680', 'text': 'And so, uh, our businesses are, you'}, {'start': '124.320', 'end': '127.040', 'text': "know, they're really clever in how to"}, {'start': '125.680', 'end': '128.399', 'text': 'work around some of these disruptions,'}, {'start': '127.040', 'end': '130.319', 'text': "but there's only so much they can do"}, {'start': '128.399', 'end': '133.040', 'text': "when there's a big supply chain lag."}, {'start': '130.319', 'end': '134.160', 'text': 'Does does that what does, so I I guess'}, {'start': '133.040', 'end': '135.680', 'text': 'one of the questions, right, is like we'}, {'start': '134.160', 'end': '137.360', 'text': 'have all these questions about empty'}, {'start': '135.680', 'end': '139.200', 'text': 'shelves and and all that. Do you think'}, {'start': '137.360', 'end': '140.800', 'text': "that's real? I I don't think we're going"}, {'start': '139.200', 'end': '142.720', 'text': "to see that in the I I don't I don't"}, {'start': '140.800', 'end': '145.760', 'text': "want any anybody to panic because we're"}, {'start': '142.720', 'end': '147.760', 'text': 'going to have the basics and and there'}, {'start': '145.760', 'end': '149.440', 'text': "and China's not the only manufacturer of"}, {'start': '147.760', 'end': '151.840', 'text': 'of a lot of these things. There are'}, {'start': '149.440', 'end': '153.840', 'text': 'certain things that we will start to see'}, {'start': '151.840', 'end': '156.000', 'text': 'a a real disruption in things like fast'}, {'start': '153.840', 'end': '157.360', 'text': 'fashion, your sneakers. I was thinking'}, {'start': '156.000', 'end': '159.440', 'text': 'the other day about my kids soccer'}, {'start': '157.360', 'end': '161.599', 'text': 'cleat. Should I buy a pair now for the'}, {'start': '159.440', 'end': '163.519', 'text': 'fall or are those prices going to double'}, {'start': '161.599', 'end': '165.040', 'text': 'or is it going to get hard to see the'}, {'start': '163.519', 'end': '166.480', 'text': 'kind of selection we normally see with'}, {'start': '165.040', 'end': '168.480', 'text': "with sneakers? I'm sure you know Ryan"}, {'start': '166.480', 'end': '170.000', 'text': "Peterson is the CEO of Flexport. He's"}, {'start': '168.480', 'end': '171.599', 'text': "Yeah, he's Ryan's great. He's on the"}, {'start': '170.000', 'end': '173.360', 'text': 'show all the time. I I spoke to him the'}, {'start': '171.599', 'end': '174.560', 'text': "other day, last week or so. Here's what"}, {'start': '173.360', 'end': '176.000', 'text': "he said to me because there's the"}, {'start': '174.560', 'end': '178.000', 'text': 'question of all right, what happens if'}, {'start': '176.000', 'end': '180.400', 'text': 'the president change changes course,'}, {'start': '178.000', 'end': '181.840', 'text': "right? or or there's a significant"}, {'start': '180.400', 'end': '183.040', 'text': 'change in trade policy with China. Here'}, {'start': '181.840', 'end': '187.760', 'text': 'was Ryan. I want to get your reaction on'}, {'start': '183.040', 'end': '190.239', 'text': "the other side. We've seen a 65% 60 to"}, {'start': '187.760', 'end': '192.560', 'text': '65% drop in ocean freight from China to'}, {'start': '190.239', 'end': '194.080', 'text': 'the US. It means if nothing gives, if'}, {'start': '192.560', 'end': '195.840', 'text': "nothing changes, he doesn't go forward"}, {'start': '194.080', 'end': '198.640', 'text': "with that, you're going to have massive"}, {'start': '195.840', 'end': '201.200', 'text': 'shortages across the economy as these'}, {'start': '198.640', 'end': '204.159', 'text': 'goods just stop showing up and stop'}, {'start': '201.200', 'end': '204.840', 'text': 'being available on the shelves.'}, {'start': '204.159', 'end': '207.280', 'text': 'is'}, {'start': '204.840', 'end': '210.080', 'text': 'is one of the other things that Ryan'}, {'start': '207.280', 'end': '212.959', 'text': 'said was basically if you have this sort'}, {'start': '210.080', 'end': '215.599', 'text': "of whip effect that it's it's we're at"}, {'start': '212.959', 'end': '217.840', 'text': "that point now where it it's really no"}, {'start': '215.599', 'end': '219.200', 'text': 'good results. Are are you there at that'}, {'start': '217.840', 'end': '220.080', 'text': 'point like what happens if the president'}, {'start': '219.200', 'end': '222.799', 'text': 'unfortunately we are going to see'}, {'start': '220.080', 'end': '224.159', 'text': 'impacts from this even if say tomorrow'}, {'start': '222.799', 'end': '226.879', 'text': 'morning first thing it was announced'}, {'start': '224.159', 'end': '228.640', 'text': 'that the tariffs were removed and the'}, {'start': '226.879', 'end': '230.400', 'text': 'reason is is that the system works best'}, {'start': '228.640', 'end': '232.640', 'text': "when there's a steady flow of goods as"}, {'start': '230.400', 'end': '235.360', 'text': 'we saw post pandemic there was a surge'}, {'start': '232.640', 'end': '237.680', 'text': 'in purchases from all around the world'}, {'start': '235.360', 'end': '240.319', 'text': 'and that surge created havoc at the'}, {'start': '237.680', 'end': '242.799', 'text': 'ports we had in the case of put sound'}, {'start': '240.319', 'end': '244.640', 'text': 'ports we had 13 ships at anchor in LA'}, {'start': '242.799', 'end': '247.360', 'text': 'long beach they had north of 60 ships at'}, {'start': '244.640', 'end': '249.120', 'text': "anchor waiting to come in because it's"}, {'start': '247.360', 'end': '251.519', 'text': "you're really trying to push a lot of"}, {'start': '249.120', 'end': '253.840', 'text': 'stuff through a fairly narrow system.'}, {'start': '251.519', 'end': '256.560', 'text': 'And it what Ryan said, one of the issues'}, {'start': '253.840', 'end': '258.160', 'text': "that we're going to see is that when"}, {'start': '256.560', 'end': '260.079', 'text': "you're an importer trying to plan for"}, {'start': '258.160', 'end': '262.880', 'text': "the holiday season, you're making your"}, {'start': '260.079', 'end': '264.479', 'text': "purchases in May and June. You're order"}, {'start': '262.880', 'end': '265.759', 'text': 'making the orders from the factories and'}, {'start': '264.479', 'end': '267.759', 'text': 'then those get shipped later in the'}, {'start': '265.759', 'end': '269.600', 'text': 'fall. Thank you for watching. Subscribe'}, {'start': '267.759', 'end': '271.720', 'text': 'below and download our NewsNation app'}, {'start': '269.600', 'end': '275.120', 'text': 'right now on your phone and you will get'}, {'start': '271.720', 'end': '278.120', 'text': 'fact-based, unbiased news for all'}, {'start': '275.120', 'end': '278.120', 'text': 'Americans.'}]