East Coast port strike unlikely to impact Guam, shipping leaders say

More than 45,000 International Longshoremen dockworkers are on strike across the Eastern Seaboard, halting operations over wage disputes and the use of automation. The strike, which began on October 1, is the first by the union since 1977.

Shipping leaders say the strike is unlikely to affect the island for now. Jack Scogin, general manager of American President Lines Guam, said, “We don’t anticipate any impact for at least the next couple of weeks.” He said that disruptions may arise if the strike lasts more than fourteen days, potentially leading to congestion at West Coast ports. Scogin said that ports like LA and Oakland on the West Coast could see more traffic, leading to “a minimal or limited impact based off of port congestion.” However, Scogin remains confident that the flow of goods to Guam will remain “unimpeded” since U.S. flag vessels typically get “priority berthing and priority labor gains” during supply chain disruptions.

Patrick Bulaon, operations manager for Matson Guam and Micronesia, was confident, saying, “We don’t see any impacts on cargo movements due to the port strikes.”

Reg Bennett, general manager of Blue Sky Traders, shared a similar outlook but cautioned by saying, “A three-week strike could cause delays in the delivery of goods well into November.” However, he said that Guam should remain unaffected for now, as most goods are already purchased in the U.S.  Bennett said that both sides have strong incentives to keep the strike brief, and in his opinion, he doesn’t believe it will last too long. He said, “There is plenty of items in-stock across retailers and suppliers.” However, he said, "It might be wise to purchase a few things for Christmas or special occasions in case this [strike] does go longer than expected." mbj