27 Feb 2025

West Coast Intermodal Booms as Cargo Shifts from East Coast Amid Tariff and Labor Concerns

International intermodal traffic along the U.S. West Coast saw a significant surge in January, driven by import frontloading and cargo diversions stemming from concerns over new U.S. tariffs and potential labor disruptions along the East and Gulf coasts. This uptick in West Coast activity continued a trend that began last fall, particularly in the ports […]

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24 Feb 2025

Trump Administration Proposes Hefty Port Fees on Chinese-Built and Operated Ships

The Trump administration is considering new tariffs aimed at the container shipping industry, proposing steep port usage fees on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated vessels calling at U.S. ports. Additionally, U.S. exporters may face rising costs under a separate proposal requiring an increasing share of exports to be transported on American ships. If enacted, these measures could […]

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19 Feb 2025

Red Sea Shipping Standoff: Carriers Demand Full Ceasefire Before Resuming Routes

Ocean carriers remain unwilling to restore services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal until a “full and permanent” ceasefire is established between Israel and Hamas, according to Inchcape Shipping Services. The ongoing instability in the region suggests that vessel diversions around southern Africa will continue for the foreseeable future, Chris Greenwood, vice president of […]

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09 Jan 2025

ILA, USMX Reach 6 Year Deal Avoiding Another Port Strike

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) announced late Wednesday that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new master contract, covering ports from Maine to Texas. While the deal awaits ratification by ILA locals and USMX members, it averts a looming port strike and secures labor stability along […]

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17 Dec 2024

How a Longshoremen’s Strike Could Disrupt Global Trade

Negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance have stalled for over a month, with President-elect Donald Trump voicing clear support for the ILA’s stance. With a potential strike looming on January 15th, it’s crucial to assess the cascading impacts this event could have, not only during the strike itself but […]

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11 Dec 2024

Retailers Sound Alarm: January Port Strikes Could Paralyze Supply Chains

Retailers and major trade associations are calling on East Coast and Gulf Coast port operators and unions to resume negotiations to prevent potential strike action when a temporary labor contract expires in January. The contract, established in October between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) following three days of strikes, […]

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10 Dec 2024

ILA, USMX Disagree Over Semi-Automated Cranes

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) remain locked in a stalemate over the implementation of semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs). After an October 2024 three-day strike, the two sides agreed to extend their master contract deadline to January 15, 2025, in hopes of resolving the dispute. However, recent talks […]

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27 Nov 2024

Trump’s Labor Nominee Splits Opinions: Backed by Longshoremen, Criticized by Truckers

The logistics industry is divided over President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. While unions like the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the Teamsters applaud her pro-worker stance, trucking groups express concern over her opposition to the widely used owner-operator driver model. The ILA praised Chavez-DeRemer for […]

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20 Nov 2024

‘Machines Don’t Feed Families’: East Coast Port Tensions Escalate

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) has abruptly ended contract negotiations with East and Gulf Coast port employers, accusing them of attempting to introduce automation technology into the new labor agreement—something the union says would threaten its members’ jobs. The talks, which resumed this week in New Jersey between the ILA and the United States Maritime […]

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