US retailers have massively upgraded their forecast for US imports in September as shippers face a threatened strike east and gulf coast ports on October 1.

And while August's numbers from the Global Port Tracker are not yet final, retailers project that US imports last month came in at 2.37 million TEU, up almost 21 per cent year over year and the highest since the record of 2.4 million TEU in May 2022.

Published by the National Retail Federation, Global Port Tracker now projects US imports this month will hit 2.31 million TEU, up 14 per cent from the same month one year ago. Last month's expected the year-on-year increase for September to be 6.5 per cent.

"Many retailers have brought cargo in early and shifted to alternate ports as a precaution, but it is vital that labour and management at east coast and Gulf coast ports sit down at the negotiating table and bargain in good faith for a new contract so we can avoid a disruption of any kind when their contract expires," said National Retail Federation vice president Jonathan Gold.

Ocean carriers and marine terminal operators have called on the International Longshoremen's Association to reopen contract talks, but acknowledged pessimism about avoiding a shutdown on October 1 that would cripple ports along the east and Gulf coasts. The current ILA contract expires September 30.

"A strike would be another blow to the supply chain as it continues to face challenges, and to the nation's economy at a time when inflation is finally coming down and the Fed is poised to lower interest rates," Mr Gold said.

https://www.shippingazette.com/news?news_id=9240900000672