The much feared US port strike that threatened to throw East Coast port operations into turmoil from the 30 September deadline has been averted.

The International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMA) have agreed to extend the collective bargaining agreement until the end of December.  Had the strike gone ahead it would have caused serious disruption and delays in all East Coast and Gulf ports.

Jimmy Re, President of Star International Movers, who broke the good news, said: "We were thrilled with the news that the strike was avoided.  We have been working to develop a contingency plan in the event of a strike, however with this reprieve our customers won't be affected and business will continue as usual.

A statement released by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), the organisation managing the negotiations that has its mission to ‘preserve labour management peace and cooperation’ said both parties emphasized that they are extending the deadline "for the good of the country" and to avoid any interruption in interstate commerce.