U.S. port workers on the East and Gulf Coasts have reached a tentative deal with port operators, ending a multi-day strike that severely affected shipments.

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX) on Thursday evening announced the deal on wages and agreed to extend their contract until January 15. The contract had expired on Sept. 30.

"Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume," the ILA said in a statement.

The strike had been in effect since early on Tuesday, disrupting the supply chain—exporters, importers, retailers, and consumers—as it impacted ports along the East and Gulf Coasts of the U.S., from Maine to Texas.

This was the first strike action taken by ILA workers since 1977.

"Today’s tentative agreement on a record wage and an extension of the collective bargaining process represents critical progress towards a strong contract," said U.S. President Joe Biden. "I congratulate the dockworkers from the ILA, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open during the pandemic. And I applaud the port operators and carriers who are members of the US Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table."