As tensions rise between dockworkers and terminal operators on the U.S. East Coast, shippers and forwarders are anxiously awaiting the next developments, while carriers are already preparing alternative plans in case of a potential port shutdown.

Read also: C.H. Robinson: How Shippers can prepare for a Potential ILA Strike Amid an Increasingly Disrupted North American Shipping Landscape 

A recent analysis by the eeSea liner database, which studied shipping responses to the threat of a rail strike in Canada, offers insights into how carriers might react to a similar scenario on the East Coast. According to eeSea’s head of operations and forecasting, Destine Ozuygur, the Canadian rail strike, though brief, triggered a wave of port swaps. In August alone, there were 19 instances of vessels diverting to Seattle instead of Vancouver, with three vessels still in the process of rerouting.

Some vessels even accelerated their journeys to beat the strike’s 24-hour window on August 22 but were unsuccessful. This experience offers a glimpse into the rapid adjustments carriers may need to make if the U.S. East Coast ports face similar disruptions.

With the possibility of a port shutdown looming, shippers and carriers are preparing for potential delays and route adjustments to keep supply chains moving.