Empty Containers Pile Up At Port Of Oakland After Korean Shipper's Bankruptcy

OAKLAND (KPIX) -- Blue shipping containers from bankrupt Hanjin are stacking up five levels high at the Port of Oakland. More are on the way.

"Port of Oakland has about 900 Hanjin empties right now and we anticipate another three to four hundred more before the carrier stops bringing cargo to Oakland," said Mike Zampa, communications director for the port.

"The empties will sit here until the bankruptcy proceedings in Seoul are resolved. That could be two to three years," Zampa added.

There's another problem. Beneath each empty container is a chassis -- a chassis needed by other shippers to move their cargo and now those shippers are starting to feel the effects of the Hanjin bankruptcy. The problem just keeps getting bigger.

"Global supply chains have been pretty well gummed up," Zampa said.

The Port of Oakland isn't counting on Hanjin to help matters because they are in such dire financial straits.

"Hanjin will probably disappear," Zampa predicted.