On the last day of the old year, the Danish shipping company called on US recipients to pick up their cargo as soon as possible and bring the empty containers back in by 15 January 2025.

That date is the deadline for the conclusion of a new collective agreement between the union International Longshoremen Association (ILA) and the employers united in the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

Semi-automation
In early October, the two sides already reached an agreement on a 61.5% wage increase for the next four years after a three-day strike. But ILA did not yet want to sign a new collective agreement without agreements on semi-automation of US container terminals.

Employers want to use more automatic stacking cranes to gain space and increase productivity. The union does reject any automation because it would cost jobs, and meanwhile is openly supported by future president Donald Trump.

Supplements
According to Maersk, no new talks were held since ILA walked away from the negotiating table in mid-November. According to US media, the two sides would now meet again on 7 January, giving them barely a week to resolve the seemingly intractable dispute.

Hapag-Lloyd already feels the strike bell hanging and therefore already announced new surcharges of $850 per teu last month. That 'Work Disruption Surcharge' applies to all import cargo, but it will only come into effect if there is an effective strike and only from 20 January at the earliest.

Source: Flows