Imminent U.S. East & Gulf Coast Port Strike: A Supply Chain Shock in the Making

Global supply chains are once again approaching a critical stress point. This intelligence product by Global Eye Intelligence delivers a timely, decision-oriented assessment of the looming U.S. East and Gulf Coast port strike—and why its impact could ripple far beyond American shores.

The report analyses the breakdown in negotiations between port operators and dockworker unions, highlighting the twin flashpoints of wage escalation and resistance to automation. With tens of thousands of dockworkers potentially walking out simultaneously, some of the busiest container ports in the world face operational paralysis. The analysis explains why even a short disruption could dislocate millions of TEUs, congest alternative ports, and trigger sharp spikes in freight rates across transatlantic and global routes.

Beyond logistics, this product maps second- and third-order effects: delayed imports from Europe and Latin America, diversion pressure on U.S. West Coast ports, equipment shortages, demurrage costs, and prolonged recovery timelines that could extend well beyond the strike itself. It also evaluates the political and economic constraints limiting rapid resolution, and why contingency planning remains inadequate across multiple sectors.

Why this matters now: port disruptions do not stay local—they cascade into inflationary pressure, industrial slowdowns, and strategic vulnerability. Those who anticipate these chokepoints early can mitigate exposure; those who don’t will absorb the shock after costs escalate.

Follow Global Eye Intelligence to stay ahead of supply chain risks that quietly determine global economic stability before they dominate headlines.