# Summer of strikes in US and Canadian ports offer lessons for shipping | International Chamber of Shipping

> A shipping industry newsletter reviews the 2023 strikes at US West Coast and Vancouver ports and their resolution. Container share at West Coast ports fell from 45% in 2019 to about 42% in 2023 as cargo was rerouted. The Vancouver port reported around C$800 million of cargo halted daily during the disruption.

- Date: 2023-09-19 · published 2023-09-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US and Canada · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/34119-summer-of-strikes-in-us-and-canadian-ports-offer-lessons-for-shipping
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Port labor disruption and rerouting add cost and transit time to grain and oilseed exports, and buyers may face higher freight and delivery uncertainty. Lessons from these strikes suggest future labor action could repeat the pattern.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2024-12-18 | [2024 Was a Year of Labor Unrest at US and Canada Rail and Shipping Ports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26999-2024-was-a-year-of-labor-unrest-at-us-and-canada-rail-and-shipping-ports.md) | +1.4% | -0.4% |
| WHEAT | 2019-12-12 | [Canadian National grain shipments return to pre-strike levels - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55599-canadian-national-grain-shipments-return-to-pre-strike-levels-freightwaves.md) | +2.5% | +4.4% |
| WHEAT | 2022-06-29 | [War in Ukraine driving skyrocketing shipping costs - Port Technology International](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40851-war-in-ukraine-driving-skyrocketing-shipping-costs-port-technology-international.md) | -8.7% | -16.2% |
| WHEAT | 2024-01-24 | [Farmers losing international trade in ports dispute](https://feedsoft.ai/events/32140-farmers-losing-international-trade-in-ports-dispute.md) | +0.3% | -4.8% |
| WHEAT | 2021-11-17 | [Canadian shippers find few easy alternatives for grain, oil cut off by flood](https://feedsoft.ai/events/44089-canadian-shippers-find-few-easy-alternatives-for-grain-oil-cut-off-by-flood.md) | +1.3% | -7.4% |

## Sources

- ics-shipping.org: https://www.ics-shipping.org/news-item/summer-of-strikes-in-us-and-canadian-ports-offer-lessons-for-shipping/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.