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Peter Zeihan: Longshoreman on Strike, US Ports Get Shut Down

Thought Leader: Peter Zeihan
October 10, 2024
Source: Peter Zeihan on Geopolitics

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Back to the picket lines we go…this time with the longshoreman. Ports across the East and Gulf Coasts of the US will impacted by the strike, disrupting nearly two-thirds of the imports and exports by water.

European manufacturers are going to take a hit on this one, along with the US agricultural industry. We’re not just talking a couple days sitting in limbo either, even if the strike ends today, we’re still looking at weeks to clear the backlogs.

The unions’ demands on this one are pretty hefty; we’re talking about a 70% pay increase and a ban on automation at ports. In an industry that’s already plagued by slow advancement and limited automation, this ban would set the US way back. On top of that, the Jones Act has exacerbated the inferences of shipping in the US. So, we’re not talking about a duct tape solution here, its going to be a complex one.

There’s always a way forward, so what does that look like? Manufacturers can brush up on their Spanish and become friends with our neighbors to the South and/or they can build some more warehouses and stop relying on just-in-time supply chains. But that’s costly and inefficient, so expect some economic hurdles along the way.

 

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