/Agencia Reuters
Rotterdam Port is facing a growing accumulation of vessels while the mooring crews continue their strike demanding salary improvements, according to a spokesperson for the port facility.
The usual queue of six to seven ships had doubled to 13 units. Although the increase was mainly due to last weekend’s storm Amy.
However, the strike by the mooring crews was already having an impact that could intensify if it continues until 15:15 (1315 GMT) on Friday, October 10, as initially announced.
“Normally, the mooring crews handle 17,000 fully loaded import containers per day on the sea side,” the spokesperson reported.
Meanwhile, a representative from the FNV union indicated that the group will meet with the employers Matrans and ILS on Friday, October 10 at noon.
If an agreement is reached, the mooring crews will resume their work; otherwise, the union has threatened to continue the strike over the weekend.
In a statement issued on Wednesday the 8th in the evening, Matrans and ILS described the strike as “unjustified and very harmful”.
To avoid accumulations, ships are normally diverted to Antwerp, but that port facility is also being affected by a protest that has been going on for several days, according to a spokesperson for the Port of Antwerp.
The port pilots are carrying out a “work-to-rule” action in response to the pension reforms announced by the Belgian government.
