Global container shipping disruptions, pop-up ports, and US agricultural exports

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of the Commodity Container Assistance Program on containerized agricultural exports from US ports. The program responded to logistical disruptions related to agricultural shipments from the ports of Oakland, Seattle, and Tacoma. Relying on counterfactual event study methods and detailed trade data, we find limited evidence of positive treatment effects after the program implementation. The average post-event trade effect is 1.0%, leading to limited agricultural export gains of about $18.6 million per month between March and September 2022. These findings suggest that while the program was cost-effective, it had limited success in facilitating US containerized agricultural exports.