Bobby Harris, who founded Riverview-based BlueGrace Logistics in 2009, estimates that the chaos will continue at least through Q2 of next year. “It’s been consistently strained for some time now,” Harris told the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

People based in Tampa Bay are still probably receiving their goods from California

The pandemic disrupted the global supply chain and exposed its flaws. Consumer behavior trends were also accelerated with more people buying items online. Port of Long Beach in California handles about 150-200 times the container capacity of Port of Tampa Bay. People based in Tampa Bay are still probably receiving their goods from California, Harris said.

Last month, there were about 70 container ships waiting at anchor or drifting off of California’s coast. That prompted Michael Rubin of the Florida Ports Council to tout Florida as a viable alternative.

“Florida is where your success comes in, and our seaports are the solution to ensure the cargo shipping logjam doesn’t become the grinch that stole Christmas,” Rubin said in a release