Puerto Vallarta.- After stevedores at 14 ports in the United States went on strike last Tuesday following the failure of negotiations between their union and the Maritime Alliance over salary issues, specialists in Mexico foresee impacts on land transportation prices and the breakdown of logistics chains.
Claudia Sánchez Porras, general director of the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) pointed out that this strike will generate a blow because some companies would seek to move their goods by other means such as rail and trucks.
When questioned about how much prices could be raised for transporting land cargo instead of sea freight, she said it would be between 80 and 100 percent, which would make prices more expensive for the American end consumer. “If it takes a week we would be talking about a month of delay in operations, that is, the ports will be able to regularize their entire operation,” he said within the framework of the “Annual Congress of Shipping Agents.”
The transportation leader indicated that the impact of said strike could begin to be seen in approximately two or three days.
Alejandro Malagón, president of the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) indicated that the strike affects the shipment of all types of products (from the United States to various parts of the world) where the automotive industry will mainly be affected. He added that there will be a direct impact on Mexican transporters, since since the cargo does not arrive by sea they will not have goods to transport. “What we know so far is that they want better salaries, and they do not want the automation of ports. This is the information we have so far,” he highlighted. He announced that Concamin will meet with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Texas Association of Business to find out what they are doing to resolve the issue, since it is a problem they have in the United States but that will have repercussions in Mexico. Regarding how many trucks in Mexico would be affected by said strike, he stressed that at this time it is not known. “This strike, which is expected to last 15 days, will break all value chains, and this will mainly affect motor transportation,” he stated. Fernando Con, president of Amanac, pointed out that this strike generates a collapse in the North American economy and will mainly affect the automotive industry. “The reaction that has to be taken is quick to see if some cargo from Houston, for example, can be diverted to Mexico. Mexican ports could be a channel to minimize the impact of the strike,” he said. Gerardo Tajonar, National Association of Importers and Exporters (Anierm) indicated that this strike has an impact on supply chains and will increase transportation costs. “The implication of transportation prices that arises from the search of companies to move their goods. Service providers could take advantage of the opportunity so that if they had some losses during the year they can compensate with this and increase prices a little” , said.
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