The number of ships waiting to land and unload at the largest US port reached a record 100 on Monday, although the Biden administration last week ordered these ports to operate 24 hours a day.

The total number of ships recorded at and near the ports of Los Angeles and long Beach on Monday was 157, the same as the record set in September, according to the Southern California Maritime Exchange (Marine Exchange of Southern California). The number of ships waiting to land and unload reached 100, a new record.

Of these, 97 are container ships floating at sea outside these ports, carrying goods that may miss this year's holiday shopping season. According to Freightos, it usually takes weeks for cargo ships to unload due to a backlog, increasing the turnaround time for goods from Asia, which takes an average of about 75 days from the point of departure to the final destination. Several container ships have been waiting in place since the beginning of September, according to data from the Southern California Maritime Exchange.

Kip Louttit, head of the Southern California Maritime Exchange, said the record for these ports before the outbreak was 17 waiting to break down.