OAKLAND (KRON) -- The Port of Oakland handles more than 99% of container goods moving through Northern California, making it the ninth busiest port in the United States, data shows. Thirty-six East Coast and Gulf Coast ports shut down on Monday as over 45,000 union workers walked off the job after failed labor negotiations. Experts said this strike could damage the U.S. economy by up to half a billion dollars per day. So, given that 36 ports -- equating to half the nation's ocean imports -- were halted on Monday, how will this strike impact the Port of Oakland? Port strike may hike prices, cause shortages of certain goods: What to know Marilyn Sandifur is a spokesperson with the Port of Oakland. She shared some good news with KRON4. "In the near term, we expect no major impacts on shipping through the Port of Oakland due to the East Coast dockworker strike," she said. In fact, Sandifur said full container cargo volumes have been "steadily growing" this year, with no sign of slowing down. "(The Port of Oakland) is ready to handle more cargo efficiently through the seaport should container volumes continue to rise," Sandifur said. Despite the relief, however, Sandifur said it's still "too soon to know" the long-term impacts of the strike, as it's not sure how long workers from the International Longshoremen's Association will refrain from going to work. As of Wednesday afternoon, workers have been on strike for about 48 hours. If they continue for a week, experts estimate nearly $3.8 billion in damages to the U.S. economy. The Port of Oakland is the fourth largest Pacific Coast port for container cargo, with about three-quarters of Oakland's trade going into Asia. According to Sandifur, California's three major ports—including the Port of Oakland—handle about half of the nation's total container cargo volume. The two other major ports in the state are in Los Angeles and Long Beach.