At a recent meeting at an East Coast port, a top official noted that the line of trucks picking up inbound containers was unusually large, as cargo receivers seemed to be preparing for a potential shutdown at the end of the month. This aligns with warnings from shipping lines. Ocean Network Express (ONE) is urging cargo owners to pick up their containers by September 30 and has cautioned that reefer containers won’t be monitored during a shutdown. Similarly, Maersk has advised customers to expedite their documentation and customs clearance to retrieve their imports quickly, as ports may be inaccessible during any work stoppage. Hapag-Lloyd has echoed this advice, encouraging customers to clear their cargo ahead of any potential disruptions. To further mitigate delays, ONE is skipping port calls on five services headed for the US East Coast in the coming days, discharging cargo at alternative ports to ensure timely delivery before any shutdown. They strongly recommend that customers pick up their cargo at these alternate ports before October 1, 2024. Meanwhile, negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have not yet resumed. USMX has stated that despite their efforts to engage with the ILA and continue discussions on a new Master Contract, they have been unable to schedule a meeting. They remain ready to negotiate at any time, but it appears the ILA is not currently interested in resuming talks.