Talks between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), which represents 45,000 port workers, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group appear deadlocked on wage issues ahead of a Sept.

Failure to reach a new longshoremen contract deal risks many East and Gulf Coast ports closing before the year-end consumer spending push -- threatening billions in losses to businesses.

On social media, several claims urge people to 'panic buy' supplies that could become difficult to find if major ports from Texas to Maine are forced to shut down.