Port strike: Here’s what items come into the ports—and what goes out of them

The dockworker strike at ports along the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf coast has already resulted in some panic buying by consumers and a torrent of doom-intense forecasts from economists. At issue is the supply chain on a number of products as well as the flow of everything from consumer goods to critical electronics. Members of the union on strike are seeking higher pay and guarantees against some forms of automation at ports, which would protect their jobs. As they walk the picket lines, though, shipments are stuck at the port and others could be caught at sea or in warehouses. The ports where strikes are taking place make up more than half of U.S. imports traveling by sea in containers, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. And this is the first work stoppage of its kind since 1977. Wondering what products are—and aren’t—facing possible shortages as the strike goes on? Here’s a look. How soon will it be before we see shortages due to the dockworker strike? A lot of that depends on the product. Food supplies, like bananas and tropical fruits, will be where consumers feel things first, since stores tend to have lean inventories of those products, as storage is an issue. (Roughly 75% of bananas imported into the U.S. come through the eastern or Gulf ports. A large portion of imported cherries, hot peppers, and chocolate also go through the ports.) Non-perishable goods and factory supplies should have a longer runway. The dockworker strike was something that was well telegraphed—and retailers had some time to prepare for it by stocking up on goods.  Which are the biggest imports on the eastern and Gulf coast ports? While the catch-all “undefined” category is the largest (coming in at $1 billion per month), the largest segmented category was machinery, which includes farm and construction equipment. That brought in an average of $678 million per month between August 2023 and July 2024. The vehicles and parts category was second with $541 million. Other notable imports (and their monthly averages) include: Electronics – $482 million Chemicals – $219 million Apparel – $198 million Pharmaceuticals – $181 million Furniture – $141 million Toys, games and sports equipment – $73 million Perfume and cosmetics – $69 million Will there be oil and gas shortages as a result of the port strike? That’s unlikely. The Department of Energy, on Tuesday, issued a statement Wednesday saying “the strike at these ports will not impact crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, and other liquid fuel exports and imports, as such operations are handled by other workers.” Officials said they plan to work with oil and gas companies and other agencies to monitor operations and supply chains. Still, the threat of escalated violence in the Middle East, following Iran’s attack on Israel and the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene, which included wiping out parts of some interstates in North Carolina, could disrupt distribution chains in the weeks and months to come. Which products come through which ports? Ports aren’t broken up by category. That is to say, one product doesn’t just go to one of the 36 ports that’s on strike right now. But some ports do see a bigger percentage of the overall shipments. New York/Newark and Philadelphia/Wilmington, for instance, get a large portion of the fruits and nuts that come into the country. Baltimore is where most vehicle imports land, taking in $2.7 billion last year, according to the Census Bureau. Texas, meanwhile, is a heavy importer of industrial machinery ($1.7 billion in 2023) and electrical equipment ($14.8 billion).   Which products are unlikely to see shortages due to the dock worker’s strike? Ironically, the products some people are panic buying right now are the ones they’re most likely to be able to find in the weeks to come without much trouble. Things like toilet paper and paper towels are largely produced in the U.S. (Just 10% of the country’s toilet paper is imported.) How will the dockworkers strike affect U.S. exports? While much of the focus of this strike has been on the day-to-day impact on Americans, it could be highly disruptive to farmers. In 2023, over 143 million metric tons of agricultural products, worth over $122 billion were transported through ocean ports, says the American Farm Bureau Federation. (Soybeans, animal feed, cotton are the top three.) About 14% of those totals stand to be impacted by the strike (the remainder either ship out of West Coast ports or are transported on specialty containers that are serviced by a different union, which is not on strike). Each week the strike goes on will cost farmers an estimated $318 million.