Montreal – The mere threat of a work stoppage by longshore workers at the Port of Montreal is forcing North American importers and exporters to divert large volumes of international cargo away from the port and is already causing havoc to supply chains, according to the Shipping Federation of Canada.

The Federation says that damage to the local, provincial and national economies would be significant and could not happen at a worse time, considering the complex logistics involved in delivering medical supplies and equipment in the midst of a pandemic. The organization is also concerned that once logistics chains are re-organized around other hubs, including those in the United States, it will be difficult to re-establish arrangements through the port. TheFederationbelievesthataportstrikewouldhavedire,longlastingconsequencesandstronglyencourages all stakeholders to deploy every effort to obtain a settlement. Time is of the essence.

The Shipping Federation of Canada is the national trade association which represents the interests of the owners, operators and agents of the ocean-going ships carrying Canada’s exports and imports to and from overseas ports. Its members are involved in all sectors of the international shipping industry, including dry and liquid bulk, containers, ro/ro and cruise.

Source: Shipping Federation of Canada