This "potential strike" will not just affect the Port of Houston but ALL the container ports, down the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico. We, at Dixie Cullen, understand that this is a stressful time for many of you not knowing until the last minute how your cargo is going to be affected.
Please note that Dixie Cullen is here to assist you, in what way that we can from staging containers and cargo in our yard to storing product and material on our warehouse house floor until you can ship. Contact our office with your specific requirements and we will be flexible in trying to accommodate your needs.
Just call or email 832-465-8670 Catherine@dixiecullen.com
Port of Houston Update
December 20th, 2012
To all PHA Customers and Stakeholders:
The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) continues to closely monitor the contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), and to date, an agreement has not been reached between the two entities. Therefore, it appears that a strike is likely to occur at PHA’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal (BCT) and Bayport Container Terminal (Bayport) beginning Sunday, December 30, 2012. We have been advised that operations at PHA’s general cargo facilities, including the Turning Basin Terminal, will not be disrupted by this strike.
The Port Authority staff is in regular communication on this matter with the container carriers that call at PHA’s terminals, as well as representatives of the ILA members who work at PHA’s terminals, and has initiated contingency plans in preparation for the anticipated work stoppage. Currently planned contingency plans are as follows:
On December 26, 27, and 28, 2012 (subject to CBP’s ability to work overtime as described below), prior to the work stoppage, both BCT and Bayport will have extended gate hours, remaining open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on each of these days. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has agreed to man the RPMs as long as there is sufficient volume to support its overtime work. An evaluation will be made during the morning hours of December 27, 2012 to determine if volume was sufficient on the 26th to justify additional overtime work on the 27th. If not, the extended gate hours will be canceled for the 27th and the 28th.
- Once the strike commences, both BCT and Bayport will be closed for all vessel and gate activity.
- All PHA staff will report to work at their usual starting times until further notice.
- Storage/demurrage charges for all containers will be suspended for each day that BCTand Bayport respectively is closed due to the strike.
- PHA will continue to regularly update customers and other stakeholders on the PHA website during the strike.
- PHA staff will stand ready to quickly reopen BCT and Bayport and return to normaloperating procedures when the strike is over.
- The measures outlined in this Memo apply only to PHA operated facilities and do not apply to the Maersk‐APM Terminal located at Barbours Cut Terminal
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