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East Coast Port Strike "Looks Certain"

Source: Federation of European Movers Associations (FEDEMAC).

International moving companies with shipments to the United States in the coming weeks may want to prepare customers for delays as one shipping intelligence business said that a strike is probable.

The Loadstar reported that analysts at Linerlytica, that supplies data to the container shipping industry, said that the strike “now looks certain” as talks between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) make no progress on compensation and port automation. The extent of the disruption that could be caused by any industrial action cannot be underestimated, with the 14 ports represented by the ILA union, handling 28.4 million containers in 2023 or 550,000 TEU’s per week.

In addition to pay, the issue of automation at U.S. ports remains a major hurdle. In an interview this week, ILA leadership highlighted their stance on any impact on workers’ jobs. “Certain technologies we support because they make the job more efficient… as long as a human being is performing that job. But we’re completely against any type of robot taking over an actual human being’s job,” said Dennis Daggett

As the USMX remains hopeful of a negotiated settlement on behalf of employers, some shippers are already looking at directing traffic through the Canadian ports of Halifax and Montreal and using rail to move goods into the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all personal effects shipments into Australia subject to mandatory quarantine inspection?

Yes – Australia is in the fortunate situation of being one of the few countries relatively free of common pests and diseases found in other countries. For this reason, the Australian Government has mandated that all unaccompanied shipments of used personal effects, motor vehicles and vessels be screened and physically inspected at approved and licenced unpacking depots by Department of Agriculture and Water Resources inspection officers.

Why is there a fee for the mandatory quarantine inspection?

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources will only permit the unpacking of imported personal effects to occur within the confines of specially licenced and approved warehouses with adequate contamination containment measures, trained and accredited warehouse staff and the required electronic interface reporting systems. The fees for quarantine inspection, clearance and attendance charged by AIMA members cover the cost of annual depot licencing, use of bonded warehouse space, attendance and inspection fees for DAWR inspection officers and required interface software licencing.

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