Ports Beginning to Look Toward Feb. 6 Longshoremen Deadline

Facing yet another deadline for a contract agreement for East/Gulf Coast longshoremen, shippers are again beginning to make contingency plans. Contract talks were continuing under the auspices of the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (see ITT's Online Archives 13012927), with the latest deadline for an agreement of Feb. 6. Neither the International Longshoremen's Association nor the U.S. Maritime Exchange is providing any details of any progress in the talks.

Global Terminal at the Port of New York and New Jersey has already said it will not receive any live reefer exports for ships that are scheduled to work beyond Feb. 6 due to the contract negotiations (here). New York Container Terminal made a similar announcement (here).

The Port of Virginia said only that it's "closely monitoring the situation and once the outcome of these meetings is learned, the port will announce the appropriate course of action" (here).