Port Dispute Impacts Imports

WASHINGTON — A protracted West Coast ports labor contract dispute that caused months of delays and congestion likely contributed to a decline in apparel and textile imports into the U.S. in January. Combined apparel and textile imports from the world to the U.S. fell 5.6 percent to 4.7 billion square meters equivalents in January compared with a year earlier, according to the Commerce Department’s trade report released on Friday. Apparel imports declined 4.2 percent to 2 billion SME, while textile imports were off 6.7 percent to 2.7 billion SME. With the slowdown and congestion at West Coast ports, which handles most of the trade from Asia, several countries in Central America appeared to benefit from a shift in sourcing from Asia. Imports from Central America are largely sent through Gulf and East Coast ports. The Pacific Maritime Association and International Longshore and Warehouse union negotiated for more than nine months on a new labor contract, resulting in backlogs at 29 West Coast ports though mid-February and took a financial toll on thousands of businesses and farmers. The two sides reached a deal late last month, but the back-up of cargo from container ships waiting in line is still causing disruptions. “I think that there’s

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