Port operations poised to continue despite government shutdown

Seaports where recycled materials and other cargo are shipped or received seem poised to keep operating despite a partial United States government shutdown that started this week.

An Oct. 1 report on the SupplyChainDigital website indicates the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agency will keep collecting tariffs and processing cargo during a shutdown, but website editor Libby Hargreaves says staffing cuts risk slowing supply chains.

The report says CBP currently is involved in processing up to $100 million in daily duties, tariffs and fees amidst an otherwise larger role in keeping trade lanes open.

A report prepared the day before for the FreightWaves website says companies with operations at ports, including railroads and logistics providers, are “waiting and watching" ahead of a shutdown of the federal government.

Freight Waves reporter Stuart Chirls cites a CBP procedural advisory indicating that of nearly 68,000 agency employees, more than 63,000 of them were to be retained during the federal shutdown.

The outlet quotes a Port of Los Angeles spokesperson as saying, “It’s our understanding that Customs personnel who handle cargo operations at the [port] complex are deemed essential and thus there should be minimal impact."

FreightWaves also notes that during the 35-day federal government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019, CBP remained operational but lower staffing levels led to slower inspections and longer dwell times for shipments moving through major ports and delays grew by as much as 15 percent to 20 percent through the Port of Los Angeles-Long Beach.

Also continuing some operations during this most recent shutdown will be the U.S. Coast Guard, although its website does contain a notice saying during the shutdown its website will not be actively managed.

The Coast Guard says it is required to execute an orderly suspension of some operations and activities, but adds that, in general, the Coast Guard will continue operations authorized by law that provide for national security or that protect life and property.

"All non-exempt functions and activities must be suspended or terminated [and] the term ‘function’ in this context is not synonymous with our statutory missions," it adds.

One early victim of the 2025 shutdown appears to be the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which arbitrates disputes between port operators, shipping firms and other links in the seaport supply chain.

An alert on the FMC website as of early October reads, “Notice: The Federal Maritime Commission is closed effective October 1, 2025, as part of the federal government shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations.”

A news release issued by the FMC indicates only its three commissioners—all presidential appointees—are still on the job and being paid, while all other staff members have been placed on furlough and are prohibited by law from performing any duties during the shutdown.