Long Beach

For months, contract negotiations between a powerful union and multinational shipping lines progressed amicably in public, even though roughly 20,000 West Coast dockworkers labored without a contract. Now the public harmony has been shattered, raising fears that a strike or lockout could close ports up and down the coast and cause economic pain. The Pacific Maritime Assn., which represents employers operating port terminals and shipping lines, has accused the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of deliberately slowing operations at four major West Coast ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach — the nation's busiest complex.

After years of ending the holiday shopping season with too much merchandise stacked in their warehouses, U.S. retailers face the opposite this year: they may not have enough. Equipment shortages, labor negotiations and rail delays are slowing shipments from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation's biggest container hub, just as retailers are piling up goods for their most important period of the year. Cargo shipments through the two ports rose 3.1 percent in the third quarter, slower than the 4.3 percent gain a year earlier.

Washington -- The National Retail Federation on Monday issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay regarding the strike that has shut down most terminals at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. NRF last week sent President Obama...

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports should be up 0.3 percent in December compared with the same month last year as retailers head to the finish line of the holiday shopping season, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

WASHINGTON — A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports has started to decline for the fall, and November is forecast at 1.9% below the same month last year. The decrease is attributed to the fact that most retailers already have their holiday season merchandise either on their shelves or en route to their stores. “As always, retailers are being very strategic with their supply chains,” said Jonathan Gold, VP supply chain and customs policy for the NRF. “Although sales are expected to

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to be up 16 percent in September over the same month last year, but 2010 has already hit its peak and numbers will decline through the remainder of the year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

More Blogs