Lloyd's List is part of Maritime Intelligence

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited, registered in England and Wales with company number 13831625 and address c/o Hackwood Secretaries Limited, One Silk Street, London EC2Y 8HQ, United Kingdom. Lloyd’s List Intelligence is a trading name of Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited. Lloyd’s is the registered trademark of the Society Incorporated by the Lloyd’s Act 1871 by the name of Lloyd’s.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use. For high-quality copies or electronic reprints for distribution to colleagues or customers, please call UK support at +44 (0)20 3377 3996 / APAC support at +65 6508 2430

Printed By

UsernamePublicRestriction

Fresh strikes bring French cargo ports to a standstill

CARGO-handling was brought to a standstill at leading French ports yesterday [THURS] as thousands of workers responded to union calls for a national day of action to protest over the government’s handling of the economic crisis.The day of action was the second since the start of the year as union leaders pressed the government for a “change of direction”. For many port workers, that means a review of the port reform currently in progress and, notably the transfers of port authority terminal personnel to stand-alone terminal operating companies. Union leaders claim that the transfer plans currently being drawn up by the seven leading ports involved in the reform have been rendered largely inapplicable by the impact of the economic downturn on terminal operating companies. Port employers are pressing the government not to give way to union demands for a renegotiation of the reform, however, arguing that the reform law passed in July last year must be applied if French ports are to be made more competitive in relation to their European Union neighbours. At Marseilles, France’s leading cargo port, all cargo-handling activity was at a standstill yesterday as port authority workers and dockers staged a 24-hour strike as called for by the ports and docks federation of the CGT union confederation. Marseilles-based ferry companies SNCM and Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation were obliged to cancel sailings to Corsica as seafarers also took part in the strike. At Le Havre, the leading French container port, all container terminals were at a standstill, although the port said that ferry traffic was unaffected by the strike. At Dunkirk, France’s third biggest cargo port, a spokeswoman said that the eastern docks had been brought to a standstill by action by port authority personnel but that the western docks, where container and ferry traffic are based, were functioning normally. Nearby Calais, France’s leading passenger port, was unaffected by the strike. A spokesman said that port and ferry services were all functioning normally.

Topics

UsernamePublicRestriction

Register

LL054579

Ask The Analyst

Please Note: You can also Click below Link for Ask the Analyst
Ask The Analyst

Your question has been successfully sent to the email address below and we will get back as soon as possible. my@email.address.

All fields are required.

Please make sure all fields are completed.

Please make sure you have filled out all fields

Please make sure you have filled out all fields

Please enter a valid e-mail address

Please enter a valid Phone Number

Ask your question to our analysts

Cancel