b'14American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comRetailers see stronger sales, but West CoastDescartes on U.S. container longshoremen contract talks a concern import trends Retailers expect stronger sales, but ongoing contract talks between the WestDescartes Datamyne maintains the worlds larg-CoastInternationalLongshoremenWorkersUnion(ILWU)andthePacificest searchable trade database, covering 230 mar-Maritime Association (PMA) are a concern. kets in five continents. The collected data is used by many companies and public entities and is rec-By Chris Barnett, AJOT ognized as one of the most authoritative sources Retailersthathavefrus- omy and the supply chain. thesametime,hecontendson international trade trends.trated shoppers with skimpymostofthetransportationBy George Lauriat, AJOTandoutofstockshelvesini nventoryC leanedU P and relatedproblemscurrently thelastfewyearsowingtos trongers alese xPeCted workedtheirwayoutofAJOT: From the stories I see in the data a number of major AsianandUSWestCoastMeanwhile, Gold claimsthesystem.Pricereduc- trends emerge. Among them is the port shift from West Coast portcongestion,containerretailersandmanufacturerstions over the recent holidayports to East Coast ports. How does Descartes approach ana-and labor shortages are againareworkingtodiversifyperiod have helped clean uplyzing the trade data for the U.S. ports?facinganothersupplychaintheirsourcingoptionstoinventories and made way forDescartes: We took the approach of comparing monthly snapshots disruptionifoceancarriersbemuchlessdependentonnewlysourcedmerchandiseto give a perspective of the degree change that has occurred and longshoremen failure toChina which continues to bethatdoesntnecessarilyrelyin the last 5 years (2019 to 2023). January 2019 and 2023 are agree on a new contract. roiledbyCOVIDoutbreakson China, according to Gold. almost identical in volume to give more of an apples com-TheInternationalLong- and lockdowns. The goal isAsthisiswritten,theparison of the shifts.shoremenWorkers(ILWU)to get more resiliency in theNRFofficialwasexpectingAJOT:FromDescartes-Datamyneperspectivehowsignifi-West Coast locals have beensupply chain and avoid addi- strongsalesfor2023Valen- cant has the shift from West Coast port to East Coast and Gulf workingwithoutacontracttionaldisruption.However,tinesDayandSuperBowl.ports been over the period beginning before COVID to now? withthePacificMaritimeit is not across the board andBut sales volume predictionsDescartes: If we consider that January 2023 total U.S. container Association(PMA)anditsvaries from retailer to retailer(CONCERNcontinued onimport volume is virtually the same as January 2019 (only 0.3% membersformonthsandandproducttoproduct.Atpage 28) (TRENDScontinued on page 24)tensionsarerunninghigh, observers say.However,thetwosides aremakingsomeprogress, JonGold,vicepresidentof SupplyChainandCustoms Policy for the National Retail Federation(NRF),alarge WashingtonDCtradeasso-ciation,toldtheAmerican Journal of Transportation.We had written to both par-ties last year to get together early knowing their long his-toryandthelengthoftime ittakestogetacontractin place,hesaid.Thereare tough issues that need to be worked out, so they need to stay at the table with neither sideengagedinanydisrup-tiveactivityandawilling-ness to bring in outside help ifneeded.Weapplaudthe fact that we havent seen any disruption to date.Jon Gold, VP of Supply Chain & Customs Policy for the NRF A Global LeaderGoldsaidhebelieves the(Biden)administration willstepinifnecessary. During the last negotiation inThe Port of Long Beach is committed to being the worlds first zero-emissions port by 2014, he noted, the secretar-iesoflaborandcommerce2035. Were at the forefront with the hemispheres most advanced cargo terminal and wereheavilyengagedinexpanded electric and rail infrastructure.settlementtalks,alongwith afederalmediator.Citing PresidentBidenspersonal involvementinheadingoff acripplingrailroadstrike recently;theNRFofficial saidtheadministrationis goingtodoeverything pos-sible to make sure we dont haveanothermanmadedis-ruptionimpactingtheecon-'