U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports reopened Friday, October 4, after a three-day work stoppage. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) agreed to extend the master contract until January 15, 2025, and will continue negotiating other unresolved matters.

Port leaders said minimal disruptions are expected as they work through a backlog of over 60 ships.

Bethann Rooney, director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, assured that the port would recover quickly. Rooney anticipates that the 19-ship backlog at New York-New Jersey will be cleared by the end of the following week.

Georgia Ports Authority spokesman Tom Boyd confirmed that the Port of Savannah had no significant delays. Operations continued smoothly, with no truck lines or problems at its berths or rail facility. The port has also opened weekend gates to help with the recovery.

Extended hours have been implemented at the Port of Baltimore to clear the backlog. The Maryland Port Administration said delayed vessels are being quickly integrated into the schedule.

The Port of Virginia reopened its reservation system and expects normal operations to resume within 24 hours.

The tentative agreement between the ILA and USMX ends a two-year standoff over a new six-year master contract. The agreement provides 90 days of labor peace, allowing time to resolve outstanding contract issues, including automation. Both sides have agreed on economic terms, with dockworker pay increasing by over 60%.

Source: Journal of Commerce