U.S. vehicle shipments threatened as strike idles Baltimore port
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News Mexico
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • VW's Jetta subbrand launches with 3-month sales of nearly 30,000
      BYD lands major e-bus order in Netherlands, Colombia
      Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW post double-digit gains
      Geely sales edge up for 2nd straight month
    • Four technologies that could take the world beyond lithium ion
      Many lessons learned -- and some underway -- on battery safety
      Logging on
      How adhesives aid EV design
    • Daimler Sajjad Khan 5_0.jpg
      Mercedes exec outlines next steps in road toward autonomous driving
      Uber
      Uber reports 3,000 sexual assault claims last year in its safety review
      Toyota leads $50 million funding round for May Mobility
      Ford halts medical shuttle to test with AVs instead
    • Automotive News special report: Retail Realities
      2019 UAW-Detroit 3 negotiations: The path forward
      Dealerships owned by ex-NFL stars face collapse, litigation
      Want a luxury car? Try a Kia
    • With battery partner, GM eases risk
      Automakers push GPB to sell stores
      FCA and PSA together will be stronger, Tavares says
      Nissan furloughs U.S. employees to save cash
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Fiat Chrysler
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
      • Holden
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • PSA
      • Citroen
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Auto Shows
      • Detroit Auto Show
      • New York Auto Show
      • Los Angeles Auto Show
      • Chicago Auto Show
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Toronto Auto Show
      • Tokyo Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Alfa-Romeo-Stelvio- web.jpg
      Alfa Romeo could be Tavares' toughest turnaround
      Iacobelli
      Alphons Iacobelli: The bad penny that keeps turning up
      With Mach-E, Ford ensures Mustang badge will live on
      Autonomous
      A call for clarity on self-driving terminology
    • view gallery
      1 photos
      Hop On In
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Polarizing Design
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Charging Ahead
      Roger Penske buys the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar
      view gallery
      1 photos
      Pace Truck
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • December 6, 2019 | All Stars will leave an imprint on the industry’s future
      November 29, 2019 | Plenty to be thankful for in the automotive industry
      November 22, 2019 | GM’s lawsuit against FCA is all about payback
      November 15, 2019 | Will anyone buy EVs?
    • Troy Blackwell
      New ideas needed to lift EV residuals
      Alfa could be Tavares' toughest turnaround
      Jody Hall
      Manufacturing materials count in vehicles' impact on planet
      EV hype or reality? Follow the money
    • EV taxis
      Beijing, unrelenting, steps up push for EV output
      Buick in China
      Global automakers raise bet on gasoline crossovers, SUVs in search of growth opportunities
      American brands, losing ground, face new challenges in China
      PSA, FCA must confront excess China capacity under merger
    • Uber case should prompt tighter AV controls
      Plan to clean up UAW corruption is a good start
      Shared benefits make FCA-PSA union worth risk
      GM, UAW should get credit for working out deal
    • Trabant has been reliable, mostly
      Cadillac needs to get its priorities straight
      Calif. privacy law will shock dealers
      EVs have challenges, but so did early ICEs
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Cadillac pilots virtual showroom with live agents
      AutoNews Now: Uber discloses 3,000 claims of sexual assault in 2018
      AutoNews Now: UAW names Rory Gamble president
      AutoNews Now: UAW-FCA deal enhances profit sharing, health care
    • First Shift: VW, Toyota push Prime to sell stores
      First Shift: Tesla's China-made cars qualify for subsidies
      First Shift: LG Chem says it will build batteries with GM in Ohio
      First Shift: U.S. attorney wants 'more cooperation' from UAW in probe
    • Florida FCA store scores with soft-sell approach in service drive
      Ford's Jim Hackett on Wall Street, the Mustang Mach-E and tech opportunities for dealers
      watch video
      9:13
      Women service staffers defy perceptions, boost customer satisfaction
      Tenn. dealer preaches profits, fixed ops longevity, workplace empathy
    • Why Carlos Tavares wants to merge PSA and FCA  
      Lincoln aims to 'paint a new picture' for shoppers
      VW's Scott Keogh on bringing 'cool' EVs to the masses
      How Toyota found its 'niche' in Mexico
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • World Congress
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Marketing 360: L.A.
    • Europe Congress
    • Retail Forum: Chicago
    • Leading Women Conference Detroit
    • Retail Forum: Toronto
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • 100 Leading Women
      • Submit a nomination for 2020
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealership To Work For
    • PACE Awards
    • PACEpilot
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Weekend Drive Podcasts
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Retail
October 16, 2013 01:00 AM

U.S. vehicle shipments threatened as strike idles Baltimore port

Mazda, Fiat, Mercedes, BMW vulnerable

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO
    New vehicles parked at the port of Baltimore in July 2011. A strike has idled the port, threatening Fiat, Mercedes, BMW and Mazda shipments.

    NEW YORK (Bloomberg) -- The port of Baltimore, which handles Mazda, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Fiat vehicles and was the No. 1 U.S. port for automobile cargo last year, ceased operations as workers from the International Longshoremen's Association began a strike over a contract dispute with the Steamship Trade Association.

    The port is the 12th largest in the United States by container volume, and one of the top ten employment centers in Maryland, according to the Maryland Port Administration's most recent annual report.

    The facility handled 538,000 vehicle transfers in 2011 and 652,000 last year, according to the port's Web site.

    "We are closely monitoring the situation in Baltimore and we hope for a speedy resolution there," Chrysler-Fiat spokeswoman Katie Hepler said.

    The automaker shipped about 124,000 vehicles using the port in 2012, Hepler said. This year it started receiving shipments of the Fiat 500L, a roomier version of its compact 500, through Baltimore, Hepler said.

    Mazda Motor Corp. signed a contract this year with the port of Baltimore to ship 65,000 vehicles through the terminal annually.

    "We're aware of it, and we're looking into it," said Nick Beard, a spokesman for Mazda.

    The strike comes amid a steady rise in U.S. vehicle sales.

    "Like everyone else who uses the Port of Baltimore we're hoping the strike is short and that business as usual returns as soon as possible," said Ken Sparks, a spokesman for BMW North America. "Baltimore is one of our three ports on the East Coast and of course we always have contingency plans should any location not be available for a period of time."

    Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz said about one third of its U.S. sales were processed through Baltimore, said spokeswoman Donna Boland.

    "It's our hope that the situation will be resolved in the next few days," she said.

    "If an agreement can be reached within the next day or two, we don't think there will be a huge economic impact," Richard Scher, a spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration, said in an interview. "If it continues a week or two weeks, then you're looking at some significant economic impacts."

    The closure puts pressure on the supply chain as Baltimore lures auto contracts away from east coast ports in New York and New Jersey.

    The discord centers on a contract signed by the ILA this year, covering ports from Maine to Texas, which needs to be ratified by all local labor unions, said Richard Scher, a spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration.

    Local No. 333, one of four Baltimore chapters, rejected the contract and announced a work stoppage last night, according to Scher, who said the Port Administration isn't involved with the negotiations.

    "If an agreement can be reached within the next day or two, we don't think there will be a huge economic impact," said Scher. "If it continues a week or two weeks, then you're looking at some significant economic impacts."

    The ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance agreed to a new labor contract in February after a dispute over payouts drove the union to the brink of a strike in December before federal mediators secured an extension.

    Phone calls to Riker McKenzie, president of Local No. 333, and the Steamship Trade Association weren't returned.

    David Phillips and Sean Gagnier of Automotive News contributed to this report.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Digital Edition
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal - 10-21-19
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Now

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2019. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Fiat Chrysler
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
          • Holden
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • PSA
          • Citroen
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Auto Shows
          • Detroit Auto Show
          • New York Auto Show
          • Los Angeles Auto Show
          • Chicago Auto Show
          • Geneva Auto Show
          • Paris Auto Show
          • Frankfurt Auto Show
          • Toronto Auto Show
          • Tokyo Auto Show
          • Shanghai Auto Show
          • Beijing Auto Show
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • World Congress
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Marketing 360: L.A.
        • Europe Congress
        • Retail Forum: Chicago
        • Leading Women Conference Detroit
        • Retail Forum: Toronto
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
          • Submit a nomination for 2020
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealership To Work For
        • PACE Awards
        • PACEpilot
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Weekend Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • Publishing Partners
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds