In major test, Myanmar scrambles to clear port jam threatening growth

A view of the Myanmar industrial port terminal at the banks of the Hlaing river in Yangon, June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's new government has been grappling with its first economic management crisis, as a weeks-long traffic jam of cargo ships at the country's biggest port threatens to scare potential investors away and choke off nascent economic growth.

The bottleneck at the dilapidated port was caused by a spike in demand for goods as the opening up of the economy accelerates following a historic election win by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) in November.