As a seasoned gamer and tech enthusiast with a knack for stocking up on the latest electronics, I find myself bracing for impact as the port strike looms large over the East and Gulf coasts. The potential disruption to the supply chains of goods ranging from perishable foods to automotive parts and pharmaceuticals has left me both concerned and intrigued.
Due to a labor dispute between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), thousands of workers along the East and Gulf coast have gone on strike, leading to the shutdown of over 36 ports starting October 1st. This could cause many products to become more expensive in the coming months, particularly if the strike continues without resolution. Here’s a list of items consumers might want to stock up on before the holiday season, as they may experience shortages or price hikes.
List of items affected by the port strike
A wide range of items will be affected by the port strike, including food, alcohol, clothing, pharmaceuticals, cars, and more. Here’s a breakdown of which products will be impacted the most, according to various economic experts speaking with USA TODAY, Business Insider, and Axios.
- Perishable foods – Produce will be greatly affected by the port strike, especially soybeans, eggs, poultry as exports and bananas, mangoes, avocados, coffee, cocoa, salt, sugar, and seafood as an imports. Even if sellers are able to move these products by plane, the increased shipping rates will raise their price. Importer Peter Kopke of Kopke Fruit said to The Orange County Register that “any fruit that arrives after October 1 will be condemned to the trash can” as long as the port strike is in place.
- Auto parts – Over 55% of auto parts enter the U.S. from Asia through the ports that are shut down due to the strike, as noted by supply chain professor Jason Miller on LinkedIn. This will cause “widespread disruption” to the auto-manufacturing sectors across the country. Tires imported by Michelin, Goodyear, and more will also be stuck at the ports.
- Electronics – Machinery parts, cell phones, and computers come from Asian nations through to these ports as well.
- Wine & Spirits – Any imported wine, beer, and spirits from South America, Europe, and the Caribbean will be unavailable, though America has a lot of options for alternatives. The American Farm Bureau says that 80% of imported beer, wine, whiskey, and scotch come through the affected ports.
- Pharmaceuticals – Drug shortages could mount if the dock strike doesn’t end within a month. That said, pharmaceutical products can be shipped by air more easily than other items.
- Wood products – Furniture and any products made from plywood arriving from Asia and South America will likely be delayed.
A number of merchants and producers such as Ikea, Costco, Samsung, Walmart, among others, have proactively advanced their holiday inventory orders and accumulated goods ahead of the potential dockworkers’ strike. However, according to Jonathan Gold from the National Retail Federation, retailers may still face challenges in restocking items and will likely encounter additional warehouse expenses due to extended storage periods, as reported by AP.
Additional elements influencing supply chains are the extensive destruction and flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, as well as the Houthi militia’s attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea and Suez Canal, which have temporarily halted operations there.
On a recent Monday, President Biden made it clear that he would not interfere in the ongoing dockworkers’ strike as it involves collective negotiation. It is worth noting that, up until the 2024 presidential election in November, neither the Teamsters union nor any other party has endorsed either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump for presidency.
Originally reported by Nicholas Tan on Mandatory.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-02 12:41