With just one week until a potential strike threatens to halt operations at US East and Gulf Coast ports, carriers are rolling out contingency plans in anticipation of significant disruptions. Shipping giants, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, and ONE, have announced a range of surcharges, halts on inland cargo movement, and reefer container monitoring limitations, all aimed at mitigating the impact on the global supply chain.
As the strike looms, the need for advanced supply chain visibility has never been more apparent. Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) and Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) must leverage real-time data to make critical business decisions, ensuring minimal disruption to their operations.
Maersk will introduce a ‘local port disruption surcharge’ of $1,500 per TEU and $3,000 per FEU for cargo moving to and from US East and Gulf Coast terminals starting 21 October. This surcharge is designed to cover the additional operational costs due to service interruptions. Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd will implement a Work Interruption Destination Surcharge (WID) of $1,000 per TEU for imports from East Asia on 19 October, and a Work Disruption Surcharge (WDS) for the rest of the world on 18 October.
CMA CGM, which introduced an $800 surcharge per TEU and $1,000 per FEU on exports from East and Gulf Coast ports starting 11 October, will also add a peak season surcharge of $1,000 per unit for imports from the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East on 1 November. Similarly, Japanese carrier ONE has warned of potential booking cancellations and vessel rollovers, while North American intermodal operator CSX is halting Canadian exports and will only accept imports until the strike commences.
The threat to refrigerated (reefer) cargo is particularly critical. Maersk and ONE have both urged customers to pick up their imports before 30 September, as the ability to monitor temperature-sensitive containers will be severely hampered if ports go on strike. Hapag-Lloyd has taken precautionary measures, pausing reefer bookings for US exports after 1 October and stopping East Coast export traffic from 29 September.
While these surcharges and operational halts aim to protect carriers and the supply chain from the most severe impacts, they underscore a larger issue: the pressing need for real-time supply chain visibility and climate impact monitoring. For BCOs and LSPs, the ability to access accurate, real-time data will be essential to counteract potential delays, reroute shipments, and make strategic decisions that mitigate risks across their logistics networks.
As Sara Dandan, founder of FourOneOne, a company specialising in detention, demurrage, and maritime dispute resolution, stated: “Any LSP worth their salt has contingencies in place to mitigate issues caused by a strike at these ports. We’ve been given plenty of warning, and most shippers and LSPs should already have alternative plans and routes in place.”
This evolving scenario serves as a reminder that in today’s complex and climate-sensitive global trade environment, having the right technology to provide real-time data insights is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. The integration of supply chain visibility software allows companies to monitor their shipments in real-time, providing critical information that can prevent costly disruptions, reduce emissions, and ensure smoother, more sustainable logistics operations. As the US port strike nears, these tools are more vital than ever.