 For months a covid-induced maelstrom混乱 of delays and sky-high shipping rates has left goods lingering at sea and shop shelves bare around the world. 新冠疫情引发的交付延误和运费飞涨已经持续多月，导致许多货物滞留海上，世界各地的商店货架上却空空如也。
 a knock-on effect连锁反应
 To eye-watering costs add lengthy delays.倒装句，译为：除了令人咋舌的高运费，还有长时间的延误。
 Only then will new vessels ordered in response to high rates start to hit the waves. 倒装句，译为：只有到那时，为应对高运费而订购的新船才会开始启航。
 Spot rate 现货价/即期汇率
 Near-shoring 近岸外包；off-shoring 离岸外包/离岸经营
 And with customers more concerned about securing scarce capacity than haggling over price, some are signing contracts for two years rather than one. 而由于客户更关心的是锁定稀缺运力而不是讨价还价，一些客户开始签订为期两年而不是一年的合约。■haggle over price讨价还价
 A sectoral must-read行业必读刊物 e.g. The magazine is a must-read in the show business world. 这份杂志是演艺界人士的必读刊物。
 Shrifting goods around the world has been inexpensive because the response to high rates has historically been a frenzy of orders. 过去全球货物运输一直不是太昂贵，原因是一旦运费升高大家就开始大量订购新船。（学习翻译合理断句，适当补充主语）■frenzy: great and often wild or uncontrolled activity e.g. the buying frenzy before Christmas 圣诞节前的购物热潮
 The strange result of the pandemic is that the industry is awash with cash. 疫情导致的奇怪结果是航运业赚了个盆满钵满。■If a place is awash with something, it contains a large amount of it. 有大量…的 e.g. This is a company that is awash with cash. 这是一家有大量现金的公司。
 …take on sb. 与…展开竞争
 The big question is how much new capacity is in the offing. 即将新增多少运力是个大问号。■If you say that something is in the offing, you mean that it is likely to happen soon. 即将发生 e.g. A general amnesty for political prisoners may be in the offing. 可能即将对政治犯实行大赦。
注: 外刊观点与本人无关，仅用于英语学习