• Posted by: Quentin
• February 11, 2020

Ode to the Ocean, Elegy for the Wallet: A Ballad of Burdensome Boxes

A World Awash in Goods, Awash in Woe

The global marketplace thrums with vibrant hues,
From mangoes sun-kissed to handcrafted shoes,
Yet whispers haunt the air, a mournful refrain,
"Why, oh why, must shipping costs inflict such pain?"

The Symphony of Trade, A Discordant Tune

Once, ships sailed serene, a well-orchestrated fleet,
Bearing bounty ‘cross the waves, each journey sweet.
But now, the symphony of trade strikes a jarring chord,
As costs crescendo, dreams deferred and dreams ignored.

The Winds of Change, A Tempest Unforeseen

A pandemic storm unleashed its wrathful might,
Disrupting rhythms, casting trade into the night.
Containers, once the vessels of global accord,
Now stand as silent sentries, their journeys toward
Distant shores delayed, a tangled, twisted knot,
A web of vessels waiting, fortunes dearly bought.

Fuel's Fiery Requiem, A Costly Refrain

The furnace of fuel, its hunger without cease,
Demands a heavy tribute, a siren's song of ceaseless increase.
Each vessel's journey, a dance with fire's embrace,
A scorching levy, leaving no room for grace.

“Though oceans roar and costs conspire, let empathy bridge the trade's desire.”

Landlocked Leviathans, A Chorus of Clatter

Trucks growl and rumble, iron steeds in a weary parade,
Navigating highways, their burdens dutifully swayed.
But roads congested, a tangled symphony of haste,
Exact their own oppressive toll, a relentless chase.

Bureaucracy's Web, A Tangled Maze

Forms and stamps and signatures' decree,
A labyrinthine dance, a symphony of bureaucracy.
Each document a hurdle, each signature a fee,
The hidden costs of commerce, a silent symphony.

Fun Facts Amidst the Freightful Verse:

• The Container Conundrum: Did you know that if all the empty shipping containers in the world were stacked together, they would create a tower taller than Mount Everest? That's a lot of empty boxes!
• The Slow Boat Shuffle: It takes an average of 45 days for a container ship to travel from Shanghai to Los Angeles. That's slower than a snail's pace, but snails don't have to contend with ocean currents and port congestion!
• The Price of a Pineapple: In 2021, it cost more to ship a pineapple from Costa Rica to Europe than it did to buy the pineapple itself. That's one pricey fruit!