However, while Sines and Leixões have said that the strikes, due to last until October 8, are having little impact, and Figueira da Foz has reported no impact (labelling the strikes “a fiasco”), this is not the case at the Port of Lisbon.
PSL Navegação, for example, has introduced congestion surcharges, which will remain in place at Lisbon until the strikes have ended.
CMA CGM subsequently followed suit for its West African service, while MacAndrews has done the same for all vessels sailing into both Lisbon and Setubal.
Maersk has gone further, suspending all services into Lisbon and instead diverting them to Leixões, where they will be railed to end users in the Lisbon area.
Lisbon has had three years of labour unrest after initial strikes were called in April 2016.
In June this year, an agreement was reached with the unions guaranteeing rising wages. However, given continuing strikes, the stevedoring companies have effectively torn up the deal.
The unions are demanding better working conditions and an end to payment differentials for workers doing the same job.
