Dear Valued Customer,
As the deadline for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) nears September 30, operational adjustments and vessel routing changes continue for East and Gulf Coast port providers.
Some ports will offer extended gate hours this weekend to allow importers to remove containers ahead of the potential strike. Stay in contact with your C.H. Robinson team for up-to-the-minute port status updates at all 36 ports.
A number of ocean carriers are making vessel schedule and routing changes ahead of the deadline. CMA, COSCO, HMM and their alliance partners have announced plans to offload cargo bound for certain USEC and USGC ports at earlier port calls. C.H. Robinson remains in contact with ocean carriers and port providers in order to assist any customers with impacted containers.
Other market events like Hurricane Helene and the recent announcement of the Port of Montreal Longshoremen’s Union voting in favor of a strike, could heighten a port strike disruption. With the Canadian Gateway serving as a main contingency route in the event of a U.S. port strike, removing Montreal as an option would require additional alternative plans to keep freight moving.
In the event of a strike beginning October 1, contingency routes could become overwhelmed very quickly. A significant volume shift to the U.S. West Coast would not only challenge the ports but also rail services, which may require more use of truck and transload services. C.H. Robinson continues to assist customers with freight that may be impacted with alternate options, including air and transloading.
For up-to-the-minute updates from each organization use the links below:
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International Longshoremen's Association
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United States Maritime Alliance
Please stay in close contact with your C.H. Robinson team for continued updates in this evolving situation and for help navigating any impacts to your supply chain. We are available and committed to delivering competitive alternative options across all impacted geographies.
Thank you for being a valued customer.
Sincerely,
C.H. Robinson