The increasingly likely strike at the ports on the eastern coast of the USA and in the Gulf of Mexico could disrupt the global supply chain.
The increasingly likely strike at the ports on the eastern coast of the USA and in the Gulf of Mexico could disrupt the global supply chain. The effects of the protest will also be felt by carriers and consumers in Europe, including Poland, assesses the logistics firm C.H. Robinson.
According to C.H. Robinson experts, the shutdown of ports on the eastern coast and in the Gulf of Mexico would have catastrophic effects on the economies of various regions worldwide. Typically, a week’s disruption at a port can result in delays of up to a month for cargo transportation.
As C.H. Robinson notes, in 2023, the United States was Poland’s fourth-largest import destination. At the same time, the USA was the only non-European country among the top ten nations to which Poland exported the most goods in 2023. The value of exports from Poland to the United States reached $11.8 billion, while imports amounted to $16.2 billion. The value of exports of automotive parts, including those for motorcycles, was $57.5 million in June 2024. Additionally, the third most commonly imported category of goods into Poland in June 2024 was chemical products, including vaccines.
Half of the busiest ports in North America are located on the eastern coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico. States such as Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, which imported the most goods from Poland, would be affected by port closures if a strike began on October 1, according to C.H. Robinson.
“The effects of the strike would be particularly felt by carriers transporting goods from Europe, Oceania, and Asia to the United States. This would, in turn, cascade into disruptions in the flow of goods within the USA, Canada, and Mexico. As we have seen with other disruptions in the global supply chain, this cascade would lead to both extended transit times and additional costs, ranging from congestion fees to potential detention and demurrage charges,” evaluates Mia Ginter, the Director of Marine Transportation in North America at C.H. Robinson.
