Dozens of freighters anchored off the coasts of Los Angeles and New York could wait up to four weeks before they can dock, the Daily Mail reported.

The backlog arises during a period of port personnel shortages, which has been blamed on the national labor shortage. The increased demand for consumer goods also played an important role.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also strained supply chains. Part of the reason is that social distancing and mandatory quarantines have hampered the ability of port staff to do their jobs, Insider previously reported.

Last week, around 24 cargo ships and tankers were reportedly stranded waiting to dock off Long Island, New York. Insider previously reported that 56 container ships were stranded at anchor or in drift areas off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

With a record number of huge cargo ships stranded at key ports, consumers could face a shortage of items, including clothing, electronics, toys and furniture, according to the Daily Mail.

“The global infrastructure was not designed to handle goods at such a rate,” a logistics expert told the point of sale, speaking anonymously.

Supply chains are the artery that powers our entire ecosystem, the expert said. “The government must step in to stop this crisis immediately, or face rising inflation and unemployment, and an economic crisis – or face the end of world trade,” they added.

Due to persistent delays, many retailers are forced to find creative ways to overcome shortages and price increases.

The news comes amid the concerns of most Americans, who believe the current supply chain crisis will disrupt their life plans, according to a study by Oracle, which was reported by Insider’s Grace Kay.

Bottlenecks at ports are starting to raise fears of a shortage of goods as Christmas approaches, according to The Daily Mail.