The Florida Ports Council is closely monitoring the ongoing strike by the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and its potential impact on Floridians. The strike, stemming from a lack of agreement between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), affects several key ports in Florida.
JAXPORT, Port Everglades, PortMiami, and Port Tampa Bay are among the state's 16 seaports with ILA workers. These ports will see disruptions primarily in containerized cargo. However, bulk cargo, specialty cargo, fuel, and cruises remain unaffected by the strike.
"We have a genuine concern about getting much-needed supplies to storm-ravaged communities in Florida and up the Eastern seaboard where so many of Florida’s imports are ultimately destined," stated a spokesperson for the Florida Ports Council. This concern is heightened as Floridians and neighboring regions recover from Hurricane Helene.
The council remains hopeful that an agreement between ILA and USMX will be reached soon to mitigate supply chain delays impacting each port differently.