Dockworkers push to ban automation at ports with strike deadline weeks away
U.S. supply chains may face a test to start 2025 as dockworkers and their employers restart contract negotiations. Automation will take center stage as the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) reconvene at the bargaining table.
The ILA negotiated a 62% raise over the next six years after a short-lived three-day strike in October. With conversations over wages in the rearview mirror, automation will be the focus of talks which begin on Tuesday, Jan. 7. If the two sides fail to come to terms by Jan. 15, more than 45,000 dockworkers could return to the picket line.
The ILA called for a total ban on automation amid the first labor dispute. Automation has been so contentious that the union reportedly walked out of negotiations in November because it says the USMX was “pushing automation and semi-automation language in its Master Contract proposals that will eliminate ILA jobs.”
“They want to go automation,” ILA President Harold J. Daggett said in a video posted to the union’s YouTube account in September. “They want more money now. ‘Get rid of these men. We don’t need them no more.’ It’s a big change going on.”
“This is kind of the conundrum that we’re in,” Patrick Penfield, a professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University, told Straight Arrow News prior to October’s strike. “Ideally, we should be automating to streamline operations, to be able to move things in and out. But unfortunately, automation does come at a price from a job standpoint, and there will be less jobs on the ports if you automate. This is kind of the sticking point.”
The union has found an ally in President-elect Donald Trump, who met with leadership in December.
“I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen.”
But Penfield says the U.S. is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to automation at its ports.
Global rankings have the busiest U.S. ports ranked near the bottom of the pack when it comes to efficiency. There’s not a single U.S. port in the S&P Global ranking’s top 50.
“Sadly, the United States has some of the worst ports in regards to automation,” Penfield said. “You could even consider some of our ports as good as a third-world country’s ports, just because [there’s] not a lot of automation there.”
Penfield said that if dockworkers were to take to the picket line for an extended period of time, it wouldn’t take long for Americans to feel it.
“So at first it’ll be minimal, but as it progresses, it’ll get worse,” he said. “Every day there’s a strike, that’s about five days of supply chain disruptions. But I’d say after a week, then we’re going to start to feel some issues and problems for companies.”
Penfield said a lot of food comes through East Coast ports, and with a prolonged strike, companies would have to fly food in, raising prices and leading to shortages.
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ tanker seized over Baltic cable sabotage
Finnish authorities detained a ship suspected of damaging critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including the Estlink-2 power cable and several undersea data lines. Finnish police and border guards boarded the vessel, the Eagle S, early Thursday, Dec. 26, and it’s now being held in Finnish waters.
The Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, is linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” of fuel tankers. Finnish investigators allege the ship’s anchor damaged the Estlink-2 cable, which supplies electricity from Finland to Estonia, as well as other undersea cables.
These older vessels, often lacking Western-regulated insurance, are reportedly used to evade sanctions related to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Estonian officials have raised alarms over the incident. Prime Minister Kristen Michal called for enhanced monitoring and protection of critical infrastructure, saying such ships contribute to what he described as “Russian hybrid attacks.” Estonian President Alar Karis called the repeated damage to Baltic Sea infrastructure a “systemic threat.”
The European Union has expressed similar concerns. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas stated the Eagle S poses risks to both security and the environment, and announced plans for sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet.
Repairs to the Estlink-2 cable could take up to seven months, according to officials. Despite the disruption, Estonian network operator Elering said the country’s energy grid has sufficient capacity to meet current demands. Investigations are ongoing as Finland, Estonia and NATO allies work to enhance security in the region.
This latest incident follows other damage to Baltic Sea infrastructure. In November, two data cables were severed, with European officials labeling the events as acts of sabotage. A Chinese vessel was detained after reportedly dragging an anchor that damaged cables connecting Germany, Lithuania and Finland.
The Kremlin declined to comment on Finland’s detention of the Eagle S. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as a “highly specialized issue” beyond the Kremlin’s scope.
Meanwhile, NATO is expected to deploy new technology in 2025, including sea drones, to better monitor and protect underwater cables in the Baltic and Mediterranean seas.
Explosion sinks sanctioned Russian cargo ship off Spain’s coast
A Russian cargo ship tied to the country’s Defense Ministry sank in the Mediterranean Sea following an explosion in its engine room, leaving two crew members missing. The ship, named the Ursa Major, was reportedly on its way to Vladivostok, carrying two large port cranes and empty containers, according to the crew. The incident occurred about 57 miles off the coast of Spain.
Spanish rescue crews initially responded to the distress signal, rescuing 14 crew members and bringing them to safety in Cartagena. However, a Russian warship later arrived at the scene to take over operations. Video footage released on social media shows the vessel heavily listing before sinking.
The Ursa Major is operated by a company under U.S. sanctions for its ties to Russia’s military. Ukrainian intelligence has raised suspicions about the ship’s activities, claiming it may have been transporting military equipment from Russian bases in Syria following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime.
These allegations, if true, could point to efforts by Russia to withdraw military assets from the region. Moscow has not yet commented on whether it will withdraw from Syria.
In a related development, another Russian vessel, the Sparta, reportedly broke down near Portugal. Ukrainian officials say it was en route to Syria to collect additional military equipment. The crew repaired the issue, and the ship has since resumed its journey.
The incidents come on the heels of another maritime loss for Russia — its third oil tanker sank in the Black Sea less than a week ago. Together, these events are drawing attention to Russia’s maritime activities, and raising questions about its ability to maintain a military presence beyond its borders.
US Navy intercepts Houthi missiles aimed at American ships in Gulf of Aden
The U.S. Navy intercepted multiple missiles and drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at two American warships and three merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, Dec. 1. Navy officials reported that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane successfully destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and one cruise missile.
No injuries or damage were reported, U.S. officials did not identify the merchant vessels involved.
The Houthis described the operation as part of a campaign against U.S. and Israeli interests, demanding the lifting of the Gaza blockade. Washington has not commented on the incident.
The U.S. Navy stated that both destroyers remain on high alert, actively securing trade routes and protecting vessels in the area.
Chinese ship dragged anchor for over 100 miles cutting comm lines: Report
Officials have released new details in the probe into a Chinese ship detained by Danish authorities earlier this month. The ship is believed to be responsible for severing critical communication lines in the Baltic Sea.
Investigators told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Nov. 27, they suspect the crew of the Chinese-owned bulk carrier vessel filled with Russian fertilizer purposely let the ship’s anchor drag for more than 100 miles to cut the cable lines between European allies.
Now, the investigation is reportedly focusing on whether the ship, which left a Russian port, worked with Moscow intelligence to commit the alleged sabotage.
A senior European investigator told The Wall Street Journal that it’s “extremely unlikely” that the captain of the ship failed to notice his vessel had dropped and dragged its anchor. Investigators noted the ship lost “speed for hours” as a result.
The ship’s owner is reportedly cooperating with the investigation, but the company declined to comment on the ongoing probe.
Investigators revealed they found data that showed the vessel dropped its anchor in Swedish territory and kept dragging the anchor as it cut the first cable lines between Sweden and Lithuania.
Authorities say around 3 a.m. the following day, the ship cut a second communication line between Germany and Finland after more than 100 miles of travel.
Shortly after the incident, investigators note, the ship raised its anchor and continued until the Danish navy intercepted the vessel and detained it.
A review of the ship’s anchor reportedly revealed damage officials say is consistent with dragging.
The crew is captained by a Chinese national and it includes a Russian sailor. However, they’ve yet to be questioned as part of the investigation.
Western intelligence officials acknowledged they don’t think China is behind the incident but suspect Russian intelligence agencies may be behind the sabotage of the communication lines between NATO allies.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told The Wall Street Journal, “I would like to reiterate China’s consistent support working with all countries to maintain the security of international submarine cables and other infrastructure in accordance with international law.”
Chinese vessel detained and suspected of Baltic Sea cable destruction
While Russia is suspected of severing two communication cable lines between NATO allies in the Baltic Sea by the West, a Chinese vessel was also implicated in the incident on Wednesday, Nov. 20, as Danish authorities detained the vessel. The cuts in the Baltic Sea happened on Sunday, Nov. 17 and on Monday, Nov. 18.
The cuts happened along the C-Lion-3 cable that connects Finland and Germany and another 130-mile connecting communications between Sweden and Lithuania.
Investigators are reportedly looking into the movements of a Chinese bulk carrier that traveled to Egypt from a Russian port. According to tracking data, the ship passed close to both telecommunication cables around the time each was severed on Sunday and on Monday.
The Danish Navy reportedly shadowed the vessel, eventually detaining it. Danish officials said that they suspect the ship is responsible for the damage to the cables but provided no further comment.
A separate Chinese-registered ship reportedly cut the BaltiConnector Pipeline in October of 2023 and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia with its anchor. Officials familiar with the investigation say Russian sailors were aboard that vessel at the time of the incident.
In regard to the latest cuttings, German officials stopped short of blaming a particular country on Tuesday, Nov. 19, but said the latest cuttings appear to be no accident.
Lithuanian commented on the latest cuttings, noting that the country was “deeply concerned,” but also did not point blame at a particular country.
Other Western officials previously said that there were indications Moscow was behind the cuts though no specific details were released.
Biden administration announces $3B in funds to reduce emissions at US ports
Last year, the international shipping industry generated 706 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, equal to burning nearly 80 billion gallons of gasoline and hitting pollution levels that would rank this sector as the world’s seventh-largest carbon emitter if it were a country. In an attempt to address this issue domestically, the U.S. government has announced a major funding initiative aimed at reducing emissions at American ports.
As part of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allocating nearly $3 billion toward green projects at U.S. ports.
These investments will go towards 55 zero-emission port equipment, infrastructure and planning projects across 27 states and territories, which the White House says will cut more than three million metric tons of carbon pollution annually — roughly the equivalent of the yearly emissions from over 700,000 gas-powered cars.
“Ports are the linchpin to America’s supply chain,” President Joe Biden said. “The new $3 billion funding we’re delivering today will make ports green all across America, cut port operating costs, strengthen supply chains, make American businesses more competitive and keep consumer prices down, slashing carbon pollution.”
These projects will implement carbon-free cargo handling equipment and vessels, as well as clean power systems, hydrogen fueling infrastructure and solar power generation, among other green technologies.
“Our nation’s ports are critical to creating opportunity here in America, offering good-paying jobs, moving goods and powering our economy,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. “Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and live nearby ports communities.”
This announcement comes after a three-day strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association earlier this month. The work stoppage came amid fears within the union about the potential impacts of automation on job security, concerns that Biden addressed while announcing this green port initiative, emphasizing that the new technology would not replace workers with automation.
“Making sure all new port equipment funded by the clean ports program will be operated and maintained by people, not by robots, is going to protect those jobs far into the future,” Biden stated.
Russian ‘floating bomb’ remains anchored off UK coast
A Russian cargo ship carrying over 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate remains stranded just off the coast of Kent in southeast England, after being denied entry to several European ports. Authorities are monitoring the ship, dubbed a “floating bomb” by experts, as it continues to pose a potential threat due to the volatile nature of its cargo.
The vessel, MV Ruby, has been anchored 15 miles from the English coast for weeks after being refused docking in Denmark, Sweden, and Lithuania.
Ammonium nitrate, the chemical responsible for the 2020 Beirut explosion, is typically stable but could become highly dangerous if exposed to fire or other triggers.
Compounding the risks, the MV Ruby is anchored near the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery, a World War II ship containing over 1,400 tons of munitions.
The ship reportedly suffered damage to its hull and rudder, heightening concerns about its safety in the English Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
While a commercial tugboat is stationed nearby in case of emergency, no nation has yet agreed to accept the vessel’s cargo unless it is offloaded first. His Majesty’s Coastguard in England continues to monitor the situation closely.
Thousands of shipping containers met a watery death in past decade: Report
Thousands of shipping containers have been lost at sea over the last decade, according to a report on Thursday, Oct. 3, by The Associated Press. As ships get bigger, reportedly doubling in capacity in just the past 20 years, the problem is getting worse. Scientists warned that the environmental consequences could be catastrophic.
“We know we got a problem on the surface, but I think the bigger problem is what’s on the seafloor,” Russ Lewis, a retired ecologist, said.
Lewis has found everything from mismatched Croc shoes to squirt guns, and he said he knows it’s from shipments lost at sea.
“That’s definitely a container spill when you find more of the same thing more than once,” Lewis said. “If you find it three or four times, that kind of strikes me that it’s a container spill. Plus, it has some biofouling on it.”
It’s not an easy fix as ships are essential to people’s needs. Shipping containers are used to move the majority of the world’s everyday items over long distances in enormous quantities.
“Containerized shipping is essentially the box, and so, they come in 20 feet, and that’s where you hear the abbreviation TEU for 20-foot equivalent, but many are 40 feet long,” Joe Kramek, the president and CEO of the World Shipping Council, said. “And these boxes have revolutionized world trade because they’re easy to pack. They’re easy to load in most cases, and just by way of example, 250 million containers were moved by containerized shipping last year.”
As a result, scientists believe there is likely a graveyard of containers at the bottom of the sea. What happens to the environment because of them is still being studied. However, researchers do know that a shipping container that tumbled overboard in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2004 changed an entire ecosystem surrounding it on the seafloor.
It was not the only container to go overboard. More than 20,000 shipping containers have reportedly fallen off ships in the past decade. However, many experts note that the number may be much higher due to lack of reporting and incomplete data.
The contents of parcels have poisoned fisheries and land habitats, and there are limited legal consequences. Scientists and environmentalists want that to change.
“The fact that when it’s on the high seas, there is no kind of liability, and there is no obligation of reporting about that kind of loss,” Antidia Citores, who works with the Surfrider Foundation Europe, said.
Environmental advocates are pushing for more tracking of losses and added safeguards to prevent spills. Meanwhile, the United Nations Maritime Organization said it’s doing that by amending two international ocean treaties earlier this year.
“When you lose containers offshore, you have to report that loss to some type of government authority because it’s a hazard to navigation and it might be a pollution hazard depending on what’s inside that,” Kramek said. “And so, you know, what we’re talking about the International Maritime Organization in 2026 will require mandatory reporting, typically, the reporting is required by coastal states.”
However, there are no penalties from the U.N. if the operators choose not to comply, and ship owners argue it’s an impossible task to keep tabs on everything in every container. Ship owners said that they are often at the mercy of the company making the product for proper labeling and information regarding hazardous materials.
The strike is over for now, as thousands of dockworkers return to their jobs after a tentative agreement to raise their pay. And why after more than three decades in prison , the Menendez brothers — infamous for killing their parents — might have their case reviewed and the factor it all hinges on. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Tens of thousands of U.S. dockworkers are getting back on the job after two days of a strike that clogged dozens of East and Gulf coast ports. The historic labor action, which threatened to drive inflation back up, is now on hold until at least January 15.
Thursday night, Oct. 3, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association struck a tentative deal with the U.S. Maritime Alliance over pay. The agreement will increase workers’ wages by 62% over the span of six years.
The agreement is an increase over the Maritime Alliance’s offer of 50% earlier this week, but a compromise for the ILA, which has called for a 77% increase in wages over the same time period.
The new deal would bring hourly pay for top dockworkers to $63 per hour by the end of the deal, compared to $39 an hour under the most recently expired contract.
Dockworkers had also been calling for a total ban on automation, but no deal was reached on that. Sources close to the matter have said that will be the main topic of negotiations between now and Jan. 15.
I applaud the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance for coming together to reopen the East Coast and Gulf ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding.
More Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut
Powerful blasts rocked Beirut Thursday night into Friday morning, Oct. 4, as Israel unleashed some of its heaviest strikes on the Lebanese capital city yet. This comes as Iran’s foreign minister is in Beirut meeting with Lebanese officials over the expanding conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Thursday, Israel ordered more evacuations for villages in southern Lebanon, potentially signaling plans to broaden the ground invasion there. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s state-run news agency said an Israeli strike took out the main highway between Lebanon and Syria, which tens of thousands of people have used over the past two weeks to flee the escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
🔴Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, during a precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut yesterday.
Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000. Sakafi invested significant efforts… pic.twitter.com/PH65nh5FLI
The Israeli military also said it killed another top Hezbollah militant, Mohammed Anisi, in a recent strike on Beirut. Hezbollah has not yet confirmed that claim.
Three ex-officers found guilty in Tyre Nichols beating death
A federal jury convicted three former Memphis police officers in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols Thursday, but they were acquitted of the most serious charges. The jury found Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith guilty of witness tampering for covering up the attack. Haley was also convicted of violating Nichols’ civil rights.
Nichols died three days after the officers brutally beat him following a traffic stop. The officers now face up to 20 years in prison for the witness tampering convictions while Haley’s civil rights violation conviction carries up to 10 years. Sentencing is pending with a hearing scheduled to determine whether they will remain in custody.
The case has triggered federal investigations into Memphis police practices, and Nichols’ family has filed a $550 million lawsuit against the city and its police department.
In a statement, the assistant U.S. attorney who oversees the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “Tyre Nichols should be alive today.”
35 years later, Menendez brothers’ case under review following claims of parental abuse
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced his office will review the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez, nearly 35 years after they were imprisoned for killing their parents in 1989. New evidence, including a letter from Erik Menendez alleging sexual abuse by their father, prompted the reexamination.
Gascón stressed that while the brothers’ guilt is not being contested, the new evidence and changing views on sexual abuse require a review. The attorney for the Menendez brothers argues they’ve been rehabilitated and is seeking a re-sentencing.
A hearing on Nov. 29 will determine the next steps, which could include a new trial or an adjusted sentence.
Country star Garth Brooks accused of rape
A former employee has come forward accusing country music superstar Garth Brooks of sexual assault and battery. In a the lawsuit, the woman said she worked as his hair and makeup artist.
The lawsuit alleges in 2019, Brooks raped the woman during a work trip in Los Angeles.
Before this lawsuit was made public, CNN reported an anonymous celebrity plaintiff — now identified as Brooks — had tried to block the woman from suing and denied the claims.
In a statement released to the media, Brooks said, “For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars.”
If there was ever a night that I really needed this, TONIGHT was that night! Thank you for my life!!!!! love, g pic.twitter.com/q6FFLrJO0a
He went on to say, “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”
Category 4 Hurricane Kirk strengthens, expected to stay offshore
Hurricane Kirk, a powerful Category 4 storm, is churning in the Atlantic, with forecasters warning of dangerous swells that could impact the U.S. east coast, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles, and the Bahamas by this weekend. Though the hurricane is expected to remain far from land, its waves might cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.
NEW: #Kirk is now a major #hurricane with 125mph sustained winds and will strengthen to *near Category 5 strength* over the next couple of days. Certainly thankful it will remain out to sea and no threat to land! #HurricaneKirk#weatherpic.twitter.com/frSGbEgtFe
As Kirk strengthens, Tropical Storm Leslie has also formed in the Atlantic but poses no immediate threat to land.
Meanwhile, the southeast is still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which left more than 200 people dead and caused catastrophic damage. Rescue efforts continue as many residents remain without water, power and communication services.
President Joe Biden has visited the region to survey the devastation, pledging federal aid for debris removal and recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
