Strike Halts Grain Ship Traffic at Argentina's Rosario Port
Grain and agro-industrial products ships will be unable to dock or leave Argentina's Rosario agro-port hub on Thursday because of a CGT union strike against government policies, the head of the private port chamber CAPyM said.The CGT's action, which brings together numerous unions in the country, will start at midnight on Thursday (0300 GMT), and last 24 hours."We will not be able to dock and moor the ships," Guillermo Wade, manager of the Chamber of Port and Maritime Activities, told Reuters, citing the strike by the Maritime Workers Union and the river navigators' union.Ships already moored
Argentina Maritime Unions to Halt Port Activities for 48 Hours
Maritime labour unions in Argentina announced on Thursday they would cease all activities in ports for 48 hours.The United Maritime Workers Union in a post on Facebook said that the Tugboat Owners Chamber (C.A.R.) has refused to negotiate an expired bargaining agreement, prompting the union to halt work.However, in light of concerns over potential energy supply shortages, the union confirmed that tugboats, which guide vessels supplying thermoelectric power plants and LNG gas tankers, will continue operations.The exception was made to prevent additional pressure on the energy sector.(Reuters -
Brisbane Port Picket over Sacked Workers Continues
A picket of Hutchison ports in Sydney and Brisbane has entered fourth day after the Maritime Workers Union vowed to continue defying a Fair Work order to cease industrial action. The picketers say that the power to the site has been cut in a bid to move them off. At least 29 unions have been picketing the Hutchison Ports Australia site since the company sacked 97 workers in Brisbane and Sydney via text message and email four days ago, reports The News. Maritime Union of Australia Queensland state secretary Bob Carnegie says the company has now cut power to a substation near their site to try to break the picket. “That’s the sort of animals we’re dealing with,” he told picketers. Protesting workers have refused to unload the cargo ship to arrive at Hutchison Port operations.
Possible tug strike at Port Hedland
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Argentine Union Warns ITF Certificate Obligatory for Bahia Banca Entry
The UK P&I Club’s Argentinian Correspondents have advised that the local Maritime Workers Union (SOMU) have issued a note stating that they will not allow the entrance of any vessel to the port of Ingeniero White (Bahia Blanca) that does not hold a valid ITF certificate on board. The Union has also demanded that a copy of the ITF certificate is sent by mail in advance. The Club’s Correspondents have spoken to the local representatives of ITF in Argentina to obtain their input but they are not aware of this note issued by the Bahia Blanca section of the SOMU so this action appears to have been taken by the local unions of its own decision. Due to the growing strength of Argentinian unions, this could become a complex issue and has already resulted in delay to a number of vessels.
Potential Port Problems in Nigeria
According to a report on http://www.thenationonlineng.net, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) today threatened to shut down seaports to protest the planned establishment of another body--Maritime Security and Safety Agency. MWUN stated this in a petition signed by its President, Tony Nted and Secretary-General, Aham Ubani, and sent to Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan. The petition, which made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, was copied to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minister of Transport. The union claimed that the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS) planned to establish another agency, which it said, was unacceptable.
Dockers Union Orders Strike After Violence Erupts at Nigerian Port
A Nigerian dockers' union said on Thursday it had ordered a strike at Lagos' Apapa port after three men died, bringing the port to a standstill when it is struggling to clear the worst congestion for 25 years. The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) said it had asked its members to stop work following an incident in which three men died after inhaling poisonous fumes on Wednesday. "We received a report yesterday that two of our members died at the Apapa port after inhaling dangerous gas while working on a vessel," union officer Tony Anyanwu said. Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) spokesman Babatunde Sanni said he was not aware of the deaths or any walkout by workers.
