Port Backlog Grows Amid Payment Issues

There’s a shipping snag at the Port of Belize and it’s causing major delays. For the past month, importers have been struggling to get their containers released, and it’s all tied to equipment issues and a surge in incoming cargo. But things took a turn when CMA CGM, a global shipping company, opened its office in Belize and brought in a vessel carrying around two hundred and fifty containers. Now, here’s the sticking point: payment arrangements to the port didn’t go through as expected, and that’s held up the release of those containers. We’re now hearing that an official message has gone out to start releasing them, but the backlog is already creating headaches. So, what’s really going on behind the scenes? We’ve got the details.

 

Delroy Fairweather, Customs Broker

“Recently I think for the last month or so we’ve been having issues with getting containers out of the port and what I mean by that is that due to equipment malfunction and a high inflow of containers brought into the port now followed by we have had an issue recently where CMA, CGM have now decided to open their offices here in Belize. They brought in a ship tomorrow would have made pretty much like two weeks ago and when that vessel comes of course you have to make the arrangements to make payments to the port for them to offer their service and apparently from the little bit that we have been told that the payment didn’t go through we kind a just got an official message that they should start releasing containers today and that is what is creating this problem now that vessel brought in around two hundred and fifty containers two weeks ago and from what I am understanding is most of the containers, well the containers are not being released.”