US Eastern Ports Prepare to Close With Labor Talks Stalled (2)

Key industry and government officials are urging US dockworkers and their employers to avoid a strike at East and Gulf coast ports this week, though many facilities are already bracing for a shutdown.

“We are coordinating with partners across the supply chain to prepare for any potential impacts,” said Steve Burns, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the nation’s busiest Atlantic gateway for containers. “We urge both sides to find common ground and keep the cargo flowing for the good of the national economy.”

The US Maritime Alliance, a group representing ocean carriers ...