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       Hundreds of thousands of sailors worldwide are stuck on cargo ships far longer than they’d intended, with few chances to contact the outside. Usually ports offer opportunities for a break, but most of these sailors haven’t had access to COVID-19 vaccines, so they’re not allowed to set foot in the United States.

       Today, L.A. Times Business reporter Ronald D. White takes us to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation’s largest. A huge backlog of cargo ships is waiting offshore for a turn to unload merchandise. Meanwhile, the crew aboard is going nowhere fast — and there’s basically no internet access, no visitors, no nice restaurant food delivery. They’re trapped.

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       Host: Gustavo Arellano

       Guest: Los Angeles Times Business reporter Ronald D. White

       More reading:

       They’ve been stuck for months on cargo ships now floating off Southern California. They’re desperate

       When will supply chains be back to normal? And how did things get so bad?

       A tangled supply chain means shipping delays. Do your holiday shopping now