The Port Authority chairman said the agreement to import such a large volume of wheat was a remarkable development towards improving the natural capacity of Gwadar Port as a logistics hub in the area.

Opponents say the agency imposes needless costs and red tape at the port. New York counters that the commission is as relevant as ever.

Talks for a new labor pact between West Coast dockworkers and their employers are stretching into a 10th month, but with no agreement in sight.

The country has been devastated by a seven-year conflict that spurred a humanitarian catastrophe. The project will provide an opportunity for improvement, the official said. 

The first reports from gateways on both coasts suggest container imports turned sharply downward last month.

Executive Director Gene Seroka said cargo that has shifted away from West Coast ports due to protracted labor negotiations.

The port in the south of the country was closed after strikes on December 10 left 1.5 million people and all non-critical infrastructure without power.

Workers at Felixstowe were among the first groups to strike in the summer over wages. Industrial action has subsequently spread.

Maritime-area employers until just recently have enjoyed strong profits. But the sharp drop in volumes to West Coast ports could work as a bargaining chip in their favor, against longshoremen, and play into Biden’s hand.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on December 7 that he would bring in "new tough laws" to curb the impact of strikes as he criticized "unreasonable" union chiefs.