Disruptions in the global shipping sector threaten to continue into 2025

The global economy faced a series of major labor strikes this year, which affected the work of many companies in the shipping sector, which indicates that the next year 2025 will not be free of crises, at a time when the year refuses to end except with a strike in “Amazon” warehouses, which makes the year 2024 the year Strikes par excellence, according to what was reported by the American network CNBC.

A year of global shipping strikes

As the year of strikes in 2024 approaches its end, it appears that the world is facing another year of turmoil for global shipping movement in 2025.
The Amazon worker protests organized by T-Masters union members come just weeks before another potential strike by dock workers at 36 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States.
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Regarding this, Mike Short, head of the global shipping department at CH Robinson, said: “The annual growth rate of strikes has not slowed down, but rather increased by 280%, higher than what we witnessed last year in 2023 and we did not expect it. We are already helping shipping companies prepare for a possible strike in the ports.” America in January 2025.

Emergency shipping services

Industries like automobiles and pharmaceuticals that rely on a just-in-time inventory model need to implement and act on contingency plans not only before any new strike but also for any other labor unrest looming in 2025, Short said.
The biggest potential disruption to the labor market could occur in mid-January, with a January 15 deadline set for US Ports and the International Port Workers Association to reach an agreement on automation at East Coast and Gulf ports.
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Talks between the two parties recently broke down again, while President-elect Donald Trump recently expressed full support for the union’s position that automation should not be used in ports.

Warning from Maersk Shipping

Global shipping giant Maersk said: “With the strike deadline approaching on January 15, customers must make the necessary preparations to move containers out of stoppages before any disruptions and avoid the problem of being unable to access their own cargo containers in the event of port closures.”
The “black swan” era
In recent years, the logistics sector has become accustomed to events that strategists describe as “black swans,” the largest of which was Covid, which brought the global supply chain to a halt.
Lessons learned during the pandemic have led to new digital solutions for companies to track trade and solve the problem of lack of communications and data exchange that has contributed to massive congestion at ports.
These solutions will continue to play a key role in dealing with business disruptions.