PORT NEWARK, N.J. — Despite the appearance of a typical busy Monday, an undercurrent of urgency permeated the Port of New York-New Jersey. Shippers were in a race against a midnight strike deadline imposed by union workers, a move that would halt container and roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) services at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts. By noon, most dockside container cranes stood idle, while straddle carriers worked diligently to manage last-minute shipments. Truck traffic remained heavy but organized at Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT), punctuated by frequent horn blasts from drivers expressing solidarity with members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). The union announced that 25,000 container and ro-ro workers, along with a total of 45,000 union employees, would cease work and establish picket lines at 36 ports stretching from Texas to Maine when their current master contract expires at midnight Tuesday. These ports collectively process over 56% of all U.S. containerized imports annually. This potential walkout would be the first by the ILA since 1977. On Monday, container ships were observed departing the nation's second-busiest port, and no stack trains were present in the gateway's primary north-south yard. Police from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were present to manage traffic around road construction but were otherwise not heavily deployed. "I might be waiting here until evening to get in [to PNCT]," commented one trucker who had pulled over to wait, "but it looks like any busy day here." Meanwhile, one ro-ro vessel remained in port.