The largest union of dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), began a strike at 36 container ports starting Tuesday. The affected ports, represented by the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), include three of the U.S.’s five busiest ports: the Port of New York and New Jersey, the Port of Savannah, Georgia, and the Port of Houston. The strike is occurring just in time for maritime’s peak season.
Supply chains across every industry will be thrown into disarray in the event of a prolonged strike: Retailers will be unable to get last-minute holiday items stateside, the ongoing shortage of pharmaceuticals will be exacerbated, and the manufacturing sector — already struggling to recover from a prolonged downturn — will suffer a marked contraction.
It is vital that shippers prepare alternative routes and modes for their freight as soon as possible. Even shippers with strictly domestic supply chains will find capacity more difficult to secure in the fallout of a lengthy ILA strike.
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