Container ship owners swamped as US-China trade detente revives demand

LOS ANGELES/HONG KONG (Reuters) -Container ship bookings for China-to-U.S. cargo have surged since the countries declared a 90-day truce on punitive tit-for-tat tariffs last weekend, operators said, spawning traffic jams at Chinese ports and factories that could take weeks to clear. U.S. importers of sneakers and sofas to construction supplies and auto parts are racing to get goods in before the deadline resets tariffs again, setting the stage for disruptions that recall the global transport quagmire during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cargo surge at major trade gateways like Shenzhen's Yantian Port, which handles more than a quarter of China's exports to the United States, has ship owners scrambling to coordinate berths and adjust vessel schedules.