Dozens of cargo ships stuck waiting off New York's coast amid port staff shortages and surging demand for goods

Around 24 cargo ships and oil tankers are stuck waiting to dock off the coast of Long Island, New York, due to a surge in demand for consumer goods and short-staffed ports.

MarineTraffic, the global ship tracking site, showed ships gathered a few miles off the coastline that stretches from Long Beach in the west to Lido Beach and Jones Beach Island in the east, The Daily Mail reported.

The ships appeared to have been stuck in place since at least Saturday evening, the outlet added.

Pandemic-induced shopping sprees ahead of the holiday season, coupled with a national labor shortage, are thought to be the main cause.

Similar issues have been occurring on the West coast in recent weeks. Insider previously reported that 56 container ships were stuck at anchor or in drift areas off of Los Angeles and Long Beach ports.

Those ports were dealing with 140 ships, including 87 freighters, according to Insider's report.

According to the Container News website, the Port of New York and New Jersey serves the world's major ocean carriers and global alliances and consists of a complex of approximately 386 km of shipping channels, as well as anchorages, and port facilities.

With record numbers of huge cargo ships clogging key ports, causing a knock-on effect on the global supply chain, many retailers are being forced to find creative ways to overcome shortages and price hikes, Insider previously reported.