The US is wondering about its dependence on containers produced in China

One of the most recent examples of the alarms raised in some nations for addiction in different segments of their own economic activities from equipment and means provided in large numbers part from nations considered not really friendly is that of the intermodal transport equipment available to US operators. Concern has been expressed by the US federal agency Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) for the dependence of US logistics on containers and chassis manufactured in China.

In particular, at the end of a year of analysis of this market, the FMC carried out an assessment of the dominance of the People's Republic of China in the production of containers and semi-trailers from which it results - concisely summarized the Commissioner of the American Government Agency, Carl W. Bentzel - that, "as a country, our sector and our equipment Seafarers are increasingly dependent on China. The pandemic - has explained - showed how much our supply chain and our economy are linked to our global partners. We must - it is Bentzel's warning - carefully evaluate our partnership».

Bentzel pointed out that the three largest Chinese producers, which are owned or controlled by the Chinese state, cover more than 86% of the world's semi-trailer supplies intermodal and these same companies produce more than 95% of containers used on the world market, including containers intermodal used on trains and trucks in the United States.

Observing that when the demand for sea containers is Increased Chinese manufacturers of intermodal equipment have been very slow in increasing production, Bentzel has asked if this was not part of a deliberate strategy to manipulate prices, interest - however specified the commissioner of the FMC - which however is mitigated by that of China to support its exporters so that can serve foreign markets, in particular the USA. 'Ad all good account - said Bentzel - this attenuation of interest in order to be able to ship Chinese exports not extends to other markets in Asia or to other markets foreign countries competing with Chinese exports, nor in definitive decreases the potential level of manipulation of the market'.

Absenting from the consideration of Bentzel, who was appointed commissioner of the FMC in 2019 by President Donald Trump, another commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission, Max Vekich, to whom the office was conferred by President Joe Biden last June 24, he noted that if China has the interest of do not miss the intermodal equipment useful for shipments of its exporters, the US exporters instead - has observed Vekich - "they are going through a period more and more difficult to place their goods on the market, often due to the lack of available equipment'.

For Vekich, "it is important that, as a nation, we have the resources to react to the interruptions of the supply chain and a workforce ready to deal with these changing market conditions. Although there is still a lot to be to do - he added - we must incentivize a manufacturing base in the United States that is able to produce the equipment essential to meet the needs of our exporters'.