[eastbay]

This will lead to increased prices in whatever commodities and products are NOT being shipped. Sounds like this could lead to general shortages.

Usually this means rising prices, but this time who knows what might happen.

[Daniel_Plainview]

This is ominous, but I wonder why I don't see any effect at my local Wal-Mart, Target, or grocery stores. Everything seems normal, and there are no discernible shortages or delays.

Maybe the effects will hit in a few months.

[copious.abundance]

Hmm, let's see . . .

The Baltic Dry Index has fallen 93% in just a few months. A ship that cost $234,000 per day to rent not long ago is now renting for $6,365 per day.

The market for 2nd-hand ships has collapsed and many shipping companies are on the brink of bankruptcy.

The world's ports are filled with empty ships.

And you call this a shortage???

No my friend, this is a classic description of a glut. There is so much excess capacity that ships are idling, rental rates have plummeted, and shipping companies can barely make a profit, or even ship things at a loss just for the cash flow.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')eing that the US imports practically everything

[eastbay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OilFinder2', 'H')mm, let's see . . .
The Baltic Dry Index has fallen 93% in just a few months. A ship that cost $234,000 per day to rent not long ago is now renting for $6,365 per day.
The market for 2nd-hand ships has collapsed and many shipping companies are on the brink of bankruptcy.
The world's ports are filled with empty ships.
And you call this a shortage???
No my friend, this is a classic description of a glut. There is so much excess capacity that ships are idling, rental rates have plummeted, and shipping companies can barely make a profit, or even ship things at a loss just for the cash flow.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')eing that the US imports practically everything

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'I') just glanced through this thread and no one said there was a shortage of anything. Please read more carefully especially if your intent is mocking others comments. Thank you.
We said this could lead to shortages. A worldwide cessation of dry goods shipping will not lead to a glut in anything other than idled ships. HUGE difference.

[copious.abundance]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hogan', 'T')hey still haven't banned you yet? Product shortages, not ship shortages. All those dry bulk goods are eventually turned into products that are shipped to the US and elsewhere using container cargo ships. No shipped dry bulk goods means no imported products months down the road. I thought even you would understand this. I guess not.
Maybe you should stick to looking for oil, because you have no clue what you are talking about. Back on the troll list you go.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hogan', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OilFinder2', 'C')ontrary to popular belief, imports are only equal to 14.28% of the US economy. And much of that comes from Canada and Mexico, not from across the oceans.

[eastbay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OilFinder2', 'S')ome things to consider:
1) Especially with big companies such as Wal-Mart, they probably have enough of their own cash on hand that they could lend any Asian shipping company some money to ship their goods if they have trouble finding a line of credit in their own Asian nation.
2) A 93% drop in the Baltic Dry Index, of course, does not mean there's been a 93% drop in the volume of goods shpped, it simply means the index measuring shipping costs has gone down by 93%.
3) According to this article here, written just yesterday, shipping volume on the Asia-US route to fall about 8% this year:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'C')ontainer shipping lines have said they expect cargo demand on the US-Asia route to fall by as much as eight percent in 2008.

[frankthetank]

Whatever the case me be, it doesn't look good.

This looks like my bank account:

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DoomWarrior', 'T')his is ominous, but I wonder why I don't see any effect at my local Wal-Mart, Target, or grocery stores. Everything seems normal, and there are no discernible shortages or delays. Maybe the effects will hit in a few months.

[Daniel_Plainview]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Snowrunner', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DoomWarrior', 'T')his is ominous, but I wonder why I don't see any effect at my local Wal-Mart, Target, or grocery stores. Everything seems normal, and there are no discernible shortages or delays. Maybe the effects will hit in a few months.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hogan', 'W')hatever happens, there will probably be emptier shelves and less selection in stores in the coming months.