Salmon exporters face chaos as strike shuts US ports

Norwegian, Icelandic and Faroese salmon companies are facing a serious export challenge today with US east coast ports shut down by a huge strike.

Dockers at ports between Maine and the Gulf of Mexico walked out last night in a dispute over pay.

These ports are regularly used by Nordic exporters to get their fish, mainly salmon and cod and haddock, into the US.

Some companies, notably Hiddenfjord in the Faroe Islands have dropped air transport in favour of sea shipments as part of a carbon emissions drive. But a number of Icelandic salmon companies also use sea transport because they are so much closer to US ports.

Seafood companies fear the strike, if prolonged, will cause serious problems. Many will switch to air while the action continues but finding enough refrigerated or chilled aircraft space to move the extra salmon could prove to be difficult.

Thousands of dockworkers have gone on indefinite strike at ports across much of the US, threatening significant trade and economic disruption ahead of the presidential election and the busy holiday shopping season.

Union boss Harold Daggett has called for significant pay increases for his members, while voicing concerns about threats to jobs from automation.

The National Fisheries Institute in the US has already expressed its concerns to the White House.

President Joe Biden has appealed for both sides to settle and he has the power to order a suspension for 80 days, but so far he has shown no sign of doing that.