Two container ships are making full speed to Bermuda to alleviate this week’s fresh food shortage, caused by Winter Storm Jonas hitting the United States East Coast.

The island’s shipping schedule was thrown into turmoil by the perilous blizzard, leaving supermarket shelves empty of perishable foods such as bananas, chicken and yoghurt. The Amstel Trader, which was scheduled to arrive on Monday, is travelling to Bermuda, and could arrive as early as this evening.

The Somers Isles, which has assumed the dry-docked Bermuda Islander’s route from New Jersey, could arrive with further supplies as early as Friday afternoon.

However, anticipated heavy rain in the North Atlantic could yet affect the progress of both ships, which both endured 55-knot winds and 30-foot waves on their previous voyages from Bermuda to New Jersey. Zach Moniz, manager of the Lindo’s Group of Companies, said that the supermarket had suffered a scarcity of certain items.

“Everybody’s in the same boat — literally,” he added. “It’s an issue and it certainly has affected us. It creates a whole new set of challenges because you miss those selling days.

“We’ve got signs up in the store. I think by Monday everything will be back to normal.”

To make matters worse, the Bermuda Islander suffered an accident while in dry-dock in Jacksonville, Florida, at the end of last week. It remains unclear when the vessel will resume its normal service to Bermuda.

A statement released yesterday by Meyer Freight, which operates the Bermuda Islander, said: “The Islander completed her work in dry-dock, however the shipyard rail system failed to operate.

“The Islander is high and dry, unable to refloat because of the shipyard mechanical failure.

“As the Islander is now unavailable to carry Somers Isles’s cargo from Fernandina Beach, this voyage has been cancelled.”

Trevor Waite, manager of Caribbean Food Mart in Hamilton, said that the store had run out of plantains and yams.

“They’re popular items,” he added, “I have processed yam in a can, but our customers would rather have the fresh stuff.

“The bad weather always interferes with the sailing. It cuts the sales quite a bit, but there’s not much we can do about weather-related problems.”

Wayne Correia, who manages C-Mart in Pembroke with his brother Andrew, said that their store had been missing bananas and avocados.

“This time of year, ships being late because of weather isn’t abnormal,” he added.

“I’m philosophical about it. I’ve been in this business 40 years. It becomes a problem if we’re a month out of stock, but I’ve got no issue with this.”

Kendaree Burgess, executive director of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, said: “As an island that depends on imported food, we are regularly at the mercy of the weather and usually successfully navigate our way through.

“We know that the local agents have communicated with their clients, but that local consumers may be unaware of the circumstances that have led to the delays.”