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What will it take to ease supply chain snags?

President Biden visited the Port of Baltimore on November 10, 2021. Credit: Joe Andrucyk, Patrick Siebert/Maryland GovPics/Flickr
President Biden visited the Port of Baltimore on November 10, 2021. Credit: Joe Andrucyk, Patrick Siebert/Maryland GovPics/Flickr

Americans are buying so many physical things--like stuff for their homes or holiday gifts--it’s swamping how goods are made and moved. When will supply-chain snags ease up?

University of Maryland professor Martin Dresner says as the pandemic recedes, some spending on goods will shift to travel and entertainment, and shortages should abate.

The Maryland expert President Biden tapped to fix problems at ports, John Porcari, contends it won’t be enough to go back to how things used to be, "There were gaps and issues with the supply chain before the heightened buying of the pandemic. And the pandemic laid bare this underlying reality that we have under-invested in this private sector supply chain.”

Read more:
Biden highlights infrastructure bill at Port of Baltimore
Yeah, The Supply Chain Situation Isn't Looking Great For The Holidays
With the holidays ahead, supply chain issues will get worse before they get better

Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.
Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.