November situation update

CHILE

The strike in San Antonio, Chile, ended on 25 November. It paralysed the container terminal. Because of the strike, several ships were diverted and a container ship was forced to sail without completing its unloading. There will be ongoing disruption whilst operations get back to normal.

USA

Eight hundred International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1410 members began a strike against the CSA Equipment Company at the Port of Mobile in Alabama. Workers were initially set to strike in October until the union agreed to federal mediation. Still, after the talks were cancelled, the members voted to go on strike at a special meeting on 18 November. More on: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/11/26/mobi-n26.html

Arrivals and departures of vessels at other ports across the USA are being severely delayed, causing the Expected Time of Departure (ETD) to change daily. Average delays are seven to ten days. This will cause additional storage fees, chassis fees and additional drayage pull as containers must be stored at secure yards and cannot gate-in at the port until a new Earliest Return Date (ERD) is supplied, which in some cases can be up to two weeks.

The vessel waiting time in the Port of Oakland is up to 18 days due to high import volume, congestion and labour availability. Also, the port is only open until 5:00 pm for picking up empty containers or returning full containers.

Due to the West Coast issues, alternative shipping options, such as via the East Coast, can be utilised.

AUSTRALIA

The port strike announced to begin on 18 November in Australia was called off. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) ordered a six-month suspension of all industrial action over a four-year enterprise bargaining dispute at Svitzer, the nation’s largest tugboat operator. The strike could have affected multiple ports in the country and caused shipping line port omissions or diversions, shipping delays and additional costs of containers in detention and storage. More on: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/11/21/tpgz-n21.html