Supply Chain Turmoil Ahead: East and Gulf Coast Ports Set for Strike Action 美东港口罢工在即，供应链中断风险剧增！

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The U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports are bracing for a possible major strike due to a breakdown in negotiations between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX). The dispute revolves around the salaries and benefits of approximately 45,000 dockworkers. The issue might disrupt the supply chain and impact global logistics and economic stability if not addressed.  

目前，美国东海岸和墨西哥湾沿岸的港口正面临着一场潜在的大规模罢工危机。此次危机源于国际码头工人协会（ILA）与美国海事联盟（USMX）之间的劳资谈判陷入僵局。谈判中的分歧涉及到约45,000名码头工人的薪资和福利问题，如果分歧没有得到解决，可能会引发供应链广泛中断，影响全球物流运营和经济稳定。

Background of the Strike  

罢工背景

The potential strike is attributed to a deadlock in labor negotiations between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX). The ILA, representing approximately 45,000 dockworkers at over thirty ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast, is facing a contract expiration with USMX on September 30, 2024. Despite several rounds of negotiations, key issues concerning wages, benefits, and working conditions remain unresolved.  

此次罢工的潜在根源在于国际码头工人协会（ILA）与美国海事联盟（USMX）之间的劳资谈判陷入僵局。国际码头工人协会代表约45,000名在东海岸和墨西哥湾沿岸三十多个海港工作的码头工人的利益，这些工人与美国海事联盟签订的现行合同将于2024年9月30日到期。尽管双方已经进行了多次谈判，但在薪资待遇、福利和工作条件等关键问题上仍未达成一致。

Harold Daggett, the ILA President, has stated that the union members' contributions have not been adequately recognized or rewarded. Should a new agreement not be reached before the contract expires, a full strike will commence on October 1, 2024. Such a statement reflects the union's strong demand for improved working conditions. USMX, in response, has proposed various improvements to compensation and benefits, but the ILA remains dissatisfied with these offers, leading to slow progress in the talks.  

ILA主席哈罗德·达格特（Harold Daggett）明确表示，工会成员的贡献没有得到应有的认可和回报，如果在合同到期前无法达成新的协议，他们将于2024年10月1日发起全面罢工。这一声明显示了工会对改善工人待遇的强烈诉求。美国海事联盟表示，他们已经提出了一系列改善薪酬和福利的建议，但国际码头工人协会方似乎对这些提议并不满意，导致谈判进展缓慢。

The Aftermath of Prospective Walkout  

罢工影响

Should the strike occur, operations at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports will be suspended, impacting the movement of goods between the United States and the global market. Sea Intelligence projects that a one-day strike could lead to a backlog of 74,000 TEUs, with the backlog requiring four to six days to resolve. Consequently, if the strike endures for a week, ports may not resume normal operations until mid-November; a two-week strike could result in a full recovery only by 2025.  

一旦罢工发生，东海岸和墨西哥湾沿岸的港口运作将被迫中断，直接影响到美国与全球之间的货物流通。根据Sea-Intelligence的分析，罢工一天就可能导致74,000标准箱（TEU）的货物堆积。而处理一天的积压货物可能需要四到六天时间。这意味着，如果罢工持续一周，那么港口要到11月中旬才能恢复正常运作。如果罢工持续两周，则港口可能要到2025年才能完全恢复正常。

Retailers, notably import-dependent companies such as Walmart, have begun advancing shipments to prepare for the potential strike. However, not all businesses can easily adopt this strategy. As the strike date approaches, many businesses have already lost their opportunity to act. The situation is further complicated by extended transit times from Asia due to rerouted shipping caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Such potential strikes would exacerbate these delays, even triggering equipment shortages, increased freight costs, and congestion at Asian ports.  

零售商，尤其是像沃尔玛这样的依赖进口商品的企业，已经开始采取提前发货的策略，以应对可能的罢工。然而，并非所有企业都能轻松采取这一措施。随着罢工日期的临近，许多企业的应急窗口已经关闭。同时，由于也门胡塞武装在红海的袭击导致航运路线改道，货物从亚洲运往美国的时间大幅延长。一旦工人在美国港口罢工，这将加剧货物运输延误，从而导致设备短缺、运费上涨，甚至引发亚洲港口拥堵。

The Hustle Atmosphere of Port of LA and Port of LB  

洛杉矶港和长滩港的繁忙态势

Amid the potential strike threat, the Port of Los Angeles (LA) and the Port of Long Beach (LB), the two major ports on the U.S. West Coast, stand out. Both ports recorded their highest-ever July figures marked by a continuing rise in cargo demand. The Port of Los Angeles achieved a container throughput of 940,000 TEUs in July, a 37.3% increase compared to the previous year. Imports totaled 501,000 TEUs, up by 37.6%, while exports rose to 115,000 TEUs, a 4.1% increase. Empty containers also saw a 54.2% increase to 323,000 TEUs. The Port of Los Angeles reported a total throughput of 5.671 million TEUs, representing a 17.6% year-over-year increase for the first seven months of this year.  

在此背景下，美国西海岸的两大主要港口——洛杉矶港（LA）和长滩港（LB）在2024年7月份的表现尤为引人注目。这两大港口相继迎来了最繁忙的7月，显示出货运需求的持续增长。洛杉矶港在7月的集装箱吞吐量达到了94.0万TEU，同比增长37.3%。其中，进口重箱达到50.1万TEU，增长了37.6%，出口重箱增至11.5万TEU，增长了4.1%。空箱数量也增长了54.2%，达到了32.3万TEU。2024年前7个月，洛杉矶港的集装箱吞吐量达到了567.1万TEU，同比增长17.6%。

Similarly, the Port of Long Beach saw a container throughput of 882,000 TEUs in July 2024, marking a 52.6% increase year-over-year. Imports surged by 60.5% to 435,000 TEUs, while exports grew by 16.3% to 105,000 TEUs. Empty containers also increased to 342,000 TEUs, a 57.8% rise. Mario Cordero, the CEO of Long Beach, attributed the strong performance to the high demand for back-to-school products.  

同样，长滩港在2024年7月份的集装箱吞吐量也达到88.2万TEU，同比增长52.6%。其中，进口重箱飙升60.5%，达到了43.5万TEU，出口重箱增长16.3%，增至10.5万TEU。空箱数量增至34.2万TEU,增长57.8%，。长滩港首席执行官Mario Cordero表示，随着旺季的到来和消费者对返校用品的需求增加，港口在旺季期间表现出色。

The potential strike on the East Coast, coupled with the busy conditions at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, creates a complex scenario for global port logistics. The potential strike could lead to significant disruptions in the global supply chain while the high throughput at West Coast ports indicates ongoing growth in cargo demand. Companies and supply chain stakeholders need to stay alert to these updates and get prepared to handle potential logistical challenges. In the face of both labor disputes and port congestion, enhanced coordination and preparedness are essential to maintain global logistics network stability and efficiency.  

美东港口的潜在罢工与洛杉矶港和长滩港的繁忙态势共同勾勒出当前全球港口物流的复杂图景。东海岸的罢工风险可能会对全球供应链造成严重干扰，而西海岸的高吞吐量则显示出货运需求持续增长。企业和供应链各方需要密切关注这些动态，制定应对策略，以应对可能出现的物流挑战。在面对劳资纠纷和港口繁忙双重挑战时，各方需要加强协调，提升应对能力，以确保全球物流网络的稳定性和效率。