The last port strike in the U.S. in 1977 lasted 44 days, causing huge economic losses. Analysts estimate the economic damage from the current dispute to be billions of dollars per week for the U.S. economy.
According to American shippers, about 45 percent of pork shipments by sea go through these fourteen ports, especially to specific markets such as the Caribbean and Egypt.
U.S. ports play a crucial role in global sea container transportation. Although the impact of the strike will not be immediately visible because most shipments are planned well in advance, delays in cargo handling will occur after just a few days.
The port strike affects ports from New Jersey to Puerto Rico and caused about half of the sea transport along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico to come to a halt​. West Coast ports in the U.S. will become busier, while ships are already being rerouted to avoid the strike. However, the capacity of these other ports is limited.
European fallback ports, such as Rotterdam, may also face additional pressure. The Port Authority of Rotterdam says that if the strike lasts longer than a week, it could lead to an accumulation of cargo that cannot be shipped to the U.S.​
For the Netherlands, which has strong trade relations with the U.S., the consequences could be substantial. Moreover, disruptions in container flows worldwide could also lead to higher transport costs.
Evofenedex, a Dutch association for trade and logistics, predicted that the impact of a one-week strike could last more than a month. This is because ships are stuck in U.S. ports, causing a domino effect throughout the rest of the global supply chain​.