Import Cargo Rising as Higher Tariffs and Potential Port Strike Approach

With a strike possible again next month at East Coast and Gulf Coast container ports and President-elect Donald Trump planning to increase tariffs, the nation’s major container ports are expected to see a continued surge in imports through next spring, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Either a strike or new tariffs would be a blow to the economy and retailers are doing what they can to avoid the impact of...

Dockworker Strike Highlights Importance of Food Independence

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the impact of the East Coast dockworker strike.

“America is bracing for the impact of the massive dockworker strike that threatens to paralyze traffic of goods in and out of the United States. Our nation relies on international trade for everything from electronics to machinery.

“Families also count on the import of food like bananas, coffee and specialty items, including chocolates and European beer. While there is a risk of shortages of some items...

NRF Calls on Administration to Use ‘Any and All Authority’ to End Port Strike

The National Retail Federation today released the following statement from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay after a labor strike was initiated at all U.S. East and Gulf Coast container ports. The strike went into effect after the six-year master contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) expired on Sept. 30.

“NRF urges President Biden to use any and all available authority and tools — including use of the Taft-Hartley Act — to immediately restore operations at all...

Monthly Import Cargo To Reach 2 Million TEU Through Early Fall

Monthly inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports should consistently be above 2 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units through this summer and into early fall, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“We haven’t seen numbers this high for this many months in almost two years,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Regardless of what headlines about the economy might say, consumers are shopping and retailers are making sure they...