# Contract extension just one step in improving West Coast port network, ag group says | 2017-08-01 | DC Velocity

> The Agriculture Transportation Coalition says a three-year ILWU contract extension, awaiting ratification, is only a first step toward stable West Coast port operations. Its executive director says ports must become more competitive against foreign rivals. He warns that buyers who shifted sourcing during the 2014-15 dispute may not return.

- Date: 2017-08-01 · published 2017-08-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/69483-contract-extension-just-one-step-in-improving-west-coast-port-network-ag-group
- 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

Continued competitive pressure on US export ports could cause buyers to keep shifting volume to other origins, which weighs on US export demand. Labour stability alone does not fix this.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2017-08-10 | [New Port Worker Contract Adds Stability to PNW Export Operations - U.S. Wheat Associates](https://feedsoft.ai/events/69481-new-port-worker-contract-adds-stability-to-pnw-export-operations-u-s-wheat.md) | -0.2% | -0.6% |
| WHEAT | 2023-07-10 | [Delayed container shipments affecting grain industry more than West Coast port strike \| Country 600 CJWW](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35057-delayed-container-shipments-affecting-grain-industry-more-than-west-coast-port.md) | -1.9% | +0.3% |
| WHEAT | 2024-08-23 | [Rail work stoppage 'devastating to the grain industry,' says Western Canada ag sector advocate \| CBC News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28825-rail-work-stoppage-devastating-to-the-grain-industry-says-western-canada-ag.md) | -0.2% | +2.8% |
| WHEAT | 2017-01-16 | [Vessels of Project RSD49, Neva-Leader type, were actively used by North-Western Shipping Company for grain transportation in 2016](https://feedsoft.ai/events/72855-vessels-of-project-rsd49-neva-leader-type-were-actively-used-by-north-western.md) | +0.4% | +5.6% |
| WHEAT | 2025-08-27 | [Industrial action set to hit Kwinana grain port all next week \| Farm Online \| ACT](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23327-industrial-action-set-to-hit-kwinana-grain-port-all-next-week-farm-online-act.md) | +0.1% | -0.9% |

## Sources

- dcvelocity.com: https://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/29053-contract-extension-just-one-step-in-improving-west-coast-port-network-ag-group-says

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