{"id":172718,"date":"2025-02-04T19:02:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T09:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=59526"},"modified":"2025-02-04T19:02:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T09:02:09","slug":"port-strikes-in-france-to-disrupt-rail-freight-flows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=172718","title":{"rendered":"Port strikes in France to disrupt rail freight flows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Docker and port worker unions at France\u2019s major ports have begun a programme of industrial action which began last month and is set to continue intermittently throughout February in protest to state pension reform. Among the ports affected are Le Havre and Marseille, the country\u2019s two biggest maritime gateways for container traffic which also serve as hubs for a number of rail freight services.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Dockers and port workers led by the militant CGT union staged a 48-hour national strike on 30 and 31 January which was preceded by four-hour walkouts on 27 and 29 January. Walkouts are also planned for 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26, and 28 February.<\/p>\n

The impact to date of the industrial action is sketchy but a senior freight transport source told RailFreight.com that a 48-hour strike would more often than not lead to the disruption of schedules of containers leaving ports by rail and road,increasing the risk of traffic congestion building up. If this length of stoppage is repeated, ships could be diverted to other ports in northern Europe, resulting in less business for French ports and freight operators.<\/p>\n

As for the four-hour walkouts, these are unlikely to affect the arrival and departure of ships, the source added. According to a union source at the Port of Marseille, the 48-hour strike at the end of last week had been \u201cvery well supported at the port\u201d, where \u201call sectors of activity were at a standstill\u201d. Some disruption to certain services was also reported at the Port of Dunkirk but container activity was functioning normally.<\/p>\n