Here’s The Plan If A Strike Shuts Down The East Coast's Busiest Port

NEWARK, NJ — A massive labor standoff may soon shut down cargo ports across the East Coast, including its largest and busiest: the Port of New York and New Jersey.

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is threatening to strike on Oct. 1 over a dispute with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), which represents terminal operators and shipping lines. It’s a work stoppage that would span state lines and could cause major havoc across the shipping industry, including in New Jersey and New York.

The ILA wants a 77 percent wage increase over a six-year contract. The USMX has countered with an offer at 40 percent. In addition, the union is demanding a total ban on automation at the port, arguing that it jeopardizes jobs.

Both sides have been posting updates on negotiations on their websites. Read the ILA’s posts here, and the USMX’s posts here.

A prolonged strike would have severe consequences for the Port of New York and New Jersey, whose combined terminals and facilities make it the largest port on the East Coast and the third largest in the nation.

Port officials say they are making contingency plans in case a deal can’t be reached.

“Although we remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached between the ILA and USMX prior to the expiration of the contract at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, preparations are underway for a potential strike effective at midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 1,” port director Bethann Rooney announced earlier this week.

“The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, our container terminal operators and intermodal rail providers are fully dedicated to ensuring continuity of operations and to minimizing any disruption to your supply chain as best we can,” officials said.

Port Authority administrators added:

“It is important that you do everything possible to pick up your import cargo before close of business on Monday, Sept. 30 as there will be no opportunities to deliver any cargo once a strike begins. This is particularly important for all refrigerated containers and any hazardous materials. There will be no staff on terminal to monitor or adjust refrigerated containers left on terminal after Monday, Sept. 30. Export cargo will not be accepted at any of the terminals unless it can be loaded onto a vessel prior to Monday, Sept. 30. Coordinate closely with your ocean carrier on any export bookings as cargo will not be accepted at the terminals for vessels scheduled to arrive after Sept. 30. The last trains for imports and exports will be on Monday, Sept. 30.”

“We expect heavy congestion toward the end of the week and on Monday, Sept. 30 as parties seek to remove containers from the terminal prior to the potential shutdown, so we recommend picking up your containers as early as possible this week and utilizing all available gate hours,” Port Authority officials suggested.

Other information from the Port Authority included:

Gate Hours

To help deliver out as much cargo as possible, the container terminals are offering additional gate hours. We strongly encourage you to utilize these extra hours to pick up your imports, especially reefer and hazardous cargo so that it is not sitting on terminal if a work stoppage takes place.

APM Terminals

• Gate hours for Monday, Sept. 23 through Friday, Sept. 27 will be 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Gate will be open on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Maher

• Effective Monday, Sept. 23 through Friday, Sept. 27, gate hours will be extended to 9:00 p.m. for all cargo types (including reefers).
• There will potentially be additional gate hours on Saturday, Sept. 28 and/or Sunday, Sept. 29 (to be determined).
• Gate hours on Monday, Sept. 30 will be 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (no early closing).

Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT)

• Reefer cut off extended to 4:30 p.m. from Monday, Sept. 23 through Friday, Sept. 27.
• Gate will be open on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for import dry and reefer cargo (cut-off at 4:00 p.m.) and empty receiving. No export or out-of-gauge cargo receiving will be permitted.
• Normal gate hours on Monday, Sept. 30.

Port Liberty Bayonne and Port Liberty New York

• Port Liberty gate hours remain unchanged.

Norfolk Southern (NS)

• The Norfolk Southern Port Curtailment Schedule details the planned local ingate closures, which align with the anticipated work stoppage date.
• NS strongly recommends that customers refrain from shipping hazardous, high-value, and refrigerated international shipments via rail to avoid unexpected delays upon reaching the port destinations outlined in the above port curtailment schedule. However, if such shipments arrive at ingates before the closures, NS will make every effort to ensure their delivery ahead of the work stoppages.

CSX

• Last train will arrive at the Port of New York and New Jersey on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The Truck Service Center (TSC) will be closed for the duration of the work stoppage.

"When any work stoppage concludes, we expect to see significant congestion and demand to pick up cargo and work through the backlogs created throughout the Port of New York and New Jersey," administrators said. "We ask that all supply chain partners understand the difficulty this situation will create for all stakeholders and plan to work together to accommodate all additional hours the container terminals may offer."

"We will be establishing an Incident Management Team for the duration of any work stoppage and will remain focused on minimizing the impact on your operations," administrators added.

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