The status of cruise operations was in the spotlight after dockworkers at ports along the East and Gulf coasts went on strike after midnight on Tuesday.

Dockworkers striking at U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports are preventing imports of beef that restaurants and retailers increasingly rely on to make hamburgers due to limited domestic supplies, traders and industry members said.

(The Hill) — While the major port strike on the East Coast and Gulf Coast could threaten Americans’ supply of bananas, it likely won’t directly cause a toilet paper shortage — but that hasn’t stopped consumers from panic-buying the product.

During her lunch break on Tuesday – the day 45,000 East Coast port workers went on strike – Shayna Turbovsky went to the grocery store to stock up on meat, rice, beans, bananas and toilet paper. She also filled up her gas tank and plans to keep it topped off.

Toilet paper shortages in stores across America are giving folks nightmarish reminders of the pandemic era. But the lack of toilet paper isn’t a direct result of a major port strike Tuesday. It’s because of panic buying.

A West Michigan-based economic expert says the port workers strike is costing the American economy roughly $5 billion a day.

CNBC's Jeff Cox reports on how the strike at ports around the United States could reignite inflation and impact the economy.