BBC: Record backlog of cargo ships at California ports
Article published: 21 Sep, 2021
IB Economics syllabus: Microeconomics and Global economics (non-price determinants of supply, international trade)
This article talks about the increasing number of cargo ships that are waiting to discharge their containers at the ports of California, “which handle 40% of all cargo containers entering the” the United States. Interestingly, by mid September 2021 “a record 73 ships were stuck outside – almost twice as many as at the same time in August” and this has a huge impact on a lot of industries that depend on these shipments. One such industry is the one for toys, where retailers are worried that this “crisis” will affect them as they are “the all-important holiday season.” The key concept of this IB Economics commentary one can be scarcity, interdependence, efficiency – quite a few economic concepts come up with this story. You can also use it for your Global economics IA in case you’d like to comment on international trade.
Source of image: BBC/MARIO TAMA
Do you need a little boost with IB Economics?
Get help from an examiner:Â check out private lessons.
Looking for more articles?
