Oct. 9, 2024 — Imports at major U.S. container ports are expected to continue this month at “elevated levels,” the National Retail Federation (NRF) shares, despite a brief strike last week that halted operations from Maine to Texas. The data comes from the Global Port Tracker report, released by the NRF and Hackett Associates.

The strike, which began Oct. 1, involved members of the International Longshoremen’s Association after contract talks with the U.S. Maritime Alliance broke down. Operations resumed after three days when a tentative agreement was reached, securing a wage increase and a short-term contract extension until mid-January.

“It was a huge relief for retailers, their customers, and the nation’s economy that the strike was short lived,” says NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold. “It will take the affected ports a couple of weeks to recover, but we can rest assured that all ports across the country will be working hard to meet demand, and no impact on the holiday shopping season is expected.” Gold notes that the focus is now on reaching a long-term deal before the January deadline.

Ports have been handling unusually high volumes of cargo since the spring, as businesses moved goods early to avoid potential disruptions. In August, U.S. ports processed 2.34 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), a 0.9% increase from July and a 19.3% jump compared to the previous year. Global Port Tracker forecasts October imports at 2.12 million TEU, up 3.1% year over year, despite the recent strike.

Looking ahead, November and December imports are projected to rise modestly, with overall 2024 port volumes expected to increase by 12.1% compared to 2023. The report also anticipates a slight decrease in February 2025 due to the timing of Lunar New Year factory closures in Asia.