Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Port Everglades will remain open if work stoppages of select containerized cargo terminals occur here and at other seaports along the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico (from Maine to Texas) beginning Tuesday, October 1, 2024, if a Master Contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) dockworkers union and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX) representing maritime employers is not reached by midnight on Monday, September 30.
To accommodate port businesses that do not employ ILA labor for their containerized cargo operations, Port Everglades will be open, including for cruise and petroleum operations.
The negotiations between the ILA and USMX focus on some containerized cargo activities and should not affect the majority of activity taking place at Port Everglades, such as the movement of petroleum products, aggregate materials and cement, and our cruise activity. Multiple marine terminal operators employ ILA labor and would be impacted. If an agreement between the ILA and USMX is not reached, other terminals that employ labor from different unions and independent workers are expected to continue moving cargo during this period.
ILA members are expected to exercise their freedom of speech with demonstrations beginning October 1. Three areas outside the security gates near Eller Drive and McIntosh Road have been established as First Amendment Zones for safe and organized demonstrations.
“We hope there will be a quick resolution, and all containerized cargo operations can return to business as usual,” said Joseph Morris, CEO and Port Director of Port Everglades.
The port’s cargo customers handle more than 1 million TEUs annually (TEU is 20-foot equivalent units, the industry standard measurement for container volumes), including approximately 412,000 TEUs or 41% handled by terminals employing ILA labor during Fiscal Year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023).
Click here to view the First Amendment Zones
About Port Everglades
As one of Florida’s leading economic generators, Broward County’s Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Consistently ranked among the top three busiest cruise homeports in the world, Port Everglades is also one of the nation’s leading container ports and South Florida’s main seaport for receiving energy products including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County, Florida, government. It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity related to Port Everglades is $26.5 billion. More than 192,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the port, including nearly 11,000 people who work for companies that provide direct services to Port Everglades. For more information on Port Everglades, visit PortEverglades.net or email PortEverglades@broward.org.