The latest round of dockworker strikes in Spain has cost the country EUR 110 million (USD 123 million), Spanish Ministry of Public Works said.
The dockworkers launched a 48-hour strike on Wednesday, June 14 across Spanish ports after they were unable to reach a deal with employers’ association Anesco on job guarantees. However, the association is reviewing a new framework agreement for the regulation of labor relations in the stevedoring sector proposed by the unions, which, if approved, might bring an end to the dispute.
Furthermore, during the said two-day strike 34 ships were diverted from Spanish ports, including 19 ships in Algeciras, 7 in Valencia, and 6 in Barcelona, along with two ships from the port of Vigo.
The strike has had a major impact on the Spanish economy, the ministry added, stressing that the financial blow has been further aggravated by full-day work stoppages.
As a result, companies have been diverting their ships to competing ports such as Sines, Marseille-Fos, Genoa or even further North to ports like Antwerp and Rotterdam.
Hence, the strike is reducing competitiveness and the export capacity of the Spanish production system, the ministry further pointed out.
What is more, the port of Algeciras is likely to lose 70% of its traffic this year as Maersk-APTM announced that it was evaluating alternative routes and withdrawing 35,000 movements weekly from the port.
The terminal operator lost 17,000 movements in Algeciras, had 12 diverted ships, resulting in a cost of EUR 895,000 and 1,000 import containers that could not be unloaded.
The port of Barcelona and Valencia were among the top three most affected ports by the strike.
World Maritime News Staff