A strike could disrupt the delivery of billions of dollars’ worth of consumer goods during peak shipping season. About 60% of America’s containerised trade would be affected. The value of containerised imports at the 36 ports amounted to $588bn last year. A strike would shut five of the ten busiest ports in North America.

Businesses are preparing for a strike by dockworkers on the East and Gulf Coasts, which could begin Oct. 1 if negotiations don’t yield a new contract.

Failure to reach a new longshoremen contract deal risks many East and Gulf Coast ports closing before the year-end consumer spending push -- threatening billions in losses to businesses.

Some 45,000 dockworkers at every major eastern and Gulf coast port are threatening to strike Oct. 1. With talks at a stalemate since June, industry officials now believe a strike is inevitable, and ocean carriers and port operators have started sending out customer advisories and making contingency plans.