Egyptian port strike stops cargo movement
Workers at Egypt's Ain Al-Sokhna seaport have been on strike since Oct. 11, and port owner DP World says the action cost it $6.6 million in its first five days, according to some reports, Ship & Bunker reports.
The strike began after DP World fired eight workers from Ain Sokhna, which is Cairo's main port for cargo from East Asia.
"Labour issues have caused a significant slowdown in operations, impacting both customers and the Egyptian economy," DP World said in a statement Friday.
Labour actions have become more common across Egypt since last year's uprising and the subsequent government turnover, according to Reuters.
DP World temporarily shut down the Ain Al-Sokhan port in February because of conflicts with the workers.
Shipping company APL Ltd. issued an advisory Monday warning that the strike, on top of a "go-slow" labour action that began on Sept. 11, has stopped the movement of containerized cargo at the terminal.
"We expect labor-management negotiations at the port to continue but it is unclear when normal operations will resume," the company said.
"APL is developing contingency plans to manage congestion and disruptions at Sokhna."
