'Containergeddon': Supply crisis drives Walmart, rivals to hire own ships

Aim is to bypass log-jammed ports and secure scarce ship space at a time when Covid-19, as well as US-China trade ructions, equipment shortages have exposed fragility of globe-spanning supply lines

The Flying Buttress once glided across the oceans carrying vital commodities like grain to all corners of the world.
 
Now it bears a different treasure: Paw Patrol Movie Towers, Batmobile Transformers and Baby Alive Lulu Achoo dolls.
 
The dry bulk cargo ship has been drafted into the service of retail giant Walmart, which is chartering its own vessels in an effort to beat the global supply chain disruptions that threaten to torpedo the retail industry’s make-or-break holiday season.
 
"Chartering vessels is just one example of investments we’ve made to move products as quickly as possible," said Joe