Auto Care Association Urges Biden Administration to Act on National Port Strike

BETHESDA, Md. - October 1, 2024 - As the United States port strike begins today at 14 ports spanning the East and Gulf Coasts, the Auto Care Association continues to work with industry groups representing industries across the U.S. to urge President Biden and his administration to work with both sides of the ongoing labor negotiations. The strike of 45,000 dockworkers is expected to cause significant disruptions to supply chains, with estimates suggesting that for every day the strike continues, it will take five to seven days to recover from the associated delays. A J.P. Morgan analysis projected that a strike could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion daily.

The East and Gulf Coast ports handle a significant portion of the auto care industry's imports and exports, and a prolonged strike would strain the supply chain, lead to billions of dollars in losses, as well as delays in the movement of goods, making it difficult for repair shops and distributors to meet demand.

The ports impacted by the strike include the Ports of Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans and Houston.

In addition to the disruption at East and Gulf Coast ports, West Coast ports are also experiencing a surge in cargo, which could slow down the movement of goods in that region as well.

"More than four million Americans working in the auto care industry count on the steady flow of automotive parts and products through our ports each day to do their jobs," said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. "Each day that this strike continues, not only does our industry lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars in business, but the nearly 300 million Americans who drive are more at risk on the road as access to service and repair of their vehicles diminishes. We are calling on the Biden administration to take all possible and appropriate steps to facilitate a resolution between the two parties so that Americans across the country can get back to work safely."

U.S. automotive parts exports and imports represent $51.2 billion and $138.9 billion, respectively. (Source: Auto Care Association, 2025 Auto Care Factbook, pg. 152). While the U.S. now faces the closure of more than a dozen ports along its coastlines, U.S. automotive aftermarket businesses are at risk of losing up to nearly $340 million each day the strike prevents imports from being delivered. (Source: Auto Care Association, 2025 Auto Care Factbook).

In 2023, nearly 25% of automotive parts were imported through the east and gulf coast ports that are at risk of disruption from the labor strike. Auto Care Association members have reported imports being diverted to West Coast ports, which are seeing a surge in imports and will also be impacted by the labor strike. This is compared to nearly 40% of imports that are imported via truck and rail freight through land port of entry from Mexico. (Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. Dataweb, General Imports of International Trade Administration Auto Parts HTS, Ports as listed in USMX 2023 Annual Report).

Learn more about the U.S. port strike's impact on the automotive aftermarket industry and how the Auto Care Association is advocating for its members during this disruption here.

For those in the automotive aftermarket industry currently experiencing or who anticipate they will experience an impact from the port strike, we want to hear from you. Please share your port strike impact stories to help support our advocacy efforts by contacting Angela Chiang, director, international affairs, Auto Care Association, at [email protected].