As airlines have continued to cut international passenger flights, shippers are scrambling to find space on chartered aircraft. Late last year, British Airways announced it would drop 15 long-haul routes, affecting cities including Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Pittsburgh and Calgary.

U.S. ports, including the Port of Long Beach, are facing a relentless surge of imports. Railroads, truck traffic and warehouses are all experiencing a knock-on effect.

Airlines, including UPS, above, are hanging on to planes that were supposed to be out of service by now, or even reactivated old freighters, to handle a surge in air cargo, a challenge which has only been made worse by a severe lack of bellyhold capacity.

Major shipping companies have reaffirmed their commitment to avoid the Northern Sea Route amid renewed debates on the merits of using the route on the back of recent events that continue to disrupt the global supply chain.