Ports brace for government shutdown

Ports, railroads and other logistics providers are waiting and watching ahead of a shutdown of the federal government that could come as soon as midnight Tuesday.

The supply chain could be pressured by any change in operations by Customs and Border Protection. The agency inspects import shipments at maritime centers, airports and land border crossings with Mexico and Canada.

Customs in a procedural advisory on Saturday said that passenger processing and cargo inspection at ports of entry will continue during a lapse in appropriations.

The advisory noted that of the nearly 68,000 agency employees, more than 63,000 are to be retained to continue some operations during a federal funding hiatus.