As widely expected, no deal was reached by the midnight deadline Monday, 30 September despite efforts by the White House over the weekend to push parties to find a solution.
As a result, dockworkers at 36 ports from Maine in New England to Houston in the Gulf went on strike as of today.
This is the first East Coast port strike since 1977. The ILA represents 47,000 longshoremen responsible for loading and unloading ships and maintaining equipment. The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) represents ocean carriers on the employer side. At this time it is unclear what the next steps in the discussions will be. The US President has the power to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act and force a “cooling off” period during which workers would have to return to their jobs, but President Biden has stated that he would not do so.
Many importers had already diverted goods to other ports and sped up imports in anticipation of the potential strike. Of course, this is not something that would have been possible for perishable goods. The timing of the strike also coincides with the export season for what is reported to be a bumper crop year for US agricultural exporters.
As per Bloomberg: “The 36 affected ports have the combined capacity to handle as much as half of all US trade volumes, and the closures immediately halt container operations and auto shipments. Energy supplies and bulk cargo won’t be directly affected. Some exceptions will be made to allow for the movement of military goods and cruise ships.”
Oil and gas terminals are operated by work crews which are not heavily unionized and will not be affected.
We are gathering information on the major ports involved. We are also happy to respond to specific inquiries at those ports or others.
NOTE: Total vessel counts include all types of vessels, not just container ships.
New York/New Jersey
An estimated 100,000 containers are stranded at the port.
Up to 45 vessels are expected at the port in the next 30 days and will have to remain at anchor.
81 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours
Baltimore
41 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 24 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days
Norfolk
74 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 20 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days
Newport News
20 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and no ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days.
Savannah
9 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 20 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days.
Miami
21 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 10 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days.
Mobile
29 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 19 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days.
New Orleans
103 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 64 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days
Houston
86 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and 116 ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days
How Can EIMC Assist You?
As we await further developments in this situation, EIMC remains dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for all parties involved. Our team is ready to provide guidance, answer questions, and assist with any specific inquiries at both affected and unaffected ports.
For immediate assistance or inquiries, please submit your request through our website form here.