Fast rising cost of living crisis to precipitate more labor disputes across developed markets as dock workers seek to make up for rampaging price inflation. Strike action at large German and UK ports has caused major disruption to carrier schedules and has adversely impacted port performance with average call durations rising after the strike action.
A series of dockworker strikes impacted the main German seaports in June and July, while the UK’s largest container port Felixstowe was hit by walkouts in late August and September.
In response to these planned strike actions, carriers took steps to divert vessels away from the impacted terminals. Still, a Drewry’s analysis shows a significant increase in pre-berth waiting time, especially in Hamburg, where larger mainline vessels incurred an average 4-day wait to enter the port in July and August.
In the UK, cargo handling operations at Felixstowe remains disrupted, due to the backlog created by 8-day walkouts by dock labor in both late August and late September / early October. Strike action at Liverpool is further adding to shipper woes. Disruption is expected to continue through 4Q22.
Source: drewry.co.uk
