The union representing 45,000 dock workers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts and their employers on Wednesday said they reached a tentative deal on a new six-year contract, averting further strikes that could have snarled supply chains and taken a toll on the U.

Automation was at the center of a long-running labor dispute that threatened to close East and Gulf Coast ports.

A US dockworkers union reached a tentative deal on a new labor contract with a group of ocean carriers and terminal operators that, if ratified would avoid a shutdown of East and Gulf coast ports next week.

Dockworkers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association negotiated to avoid a second port strike in a matter of months.

U.S. dockworkers and shipping companies reached a tentative labor deal, capping a contentious contract battle that drew attention from President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump and averting a strike at major ports that threatened to rattle the U.

The US Maritime Alliance struck a six-year deal with shipping and port companies, averting a strike that would have crippled shipping.

The United States Maritime Alliance said on Tuesday it reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year master contract with the International Longshoremen’s Association.