From seafarers refusing to get back on ships to truck drivers whose concern over COVID-related border closures trumps the lure of higher pay, the transport industry is bracing for another roller coaster year of supply-chain disruptions.
As omicron infections surge and governments tighten restrictions, logistics companies around the world, from global giants to small businesses, can¡¯t find enough staff. According to the International Road Transport Union, around one-fifth of all professional truck driving jobs are unfilled, despite many employers offering increased wages. Some pockets of shipping are also sounding the warning bell about future hiring prospects.
¡°2022 is shaping up to be another year of severe disruption, under supply and extreme cost for cargo owners,¡± said Simon Heaney, an analyst at maritime research consultancy Drewry. ¡°The virus is once again showing it¡¯s in charge,¡± he said, predicting another 12 months of stretched labor and health care-related red tape.
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