The 2021 Container Shipping Crisis and its Consequences for US Agricultural Exports

This study examines the impact of the 2021 container shipping disruptions on US agricultural trade, utilising a non-linear panel event study methodology and detailed port-level trade data. We find that US containerised agricultural exports were 22 per cent lower than anticipated from May 2021 to January 2022, resulting in a considerable export loss of about USD 10 billion. Our analysis highlights regional and product-specific variations in trade effects, with ports in the Western and Southern USA experiencing the most severe impacts. We also document considerable treatment heterogeneity according to the customs region, export destination, freight costs, and local labour shortages.