Spanish labour bottleneck needs urgent attention

The new Mediterranean Shipping Company container terminal in Valencia has been ready to commence operations for a few weeks but it has reportedly not started because terminal management has not reached an agreement with labour on the terms and conditions of employment.

In Algeciras, Maersk is allegedly expressing concern at the attitude of labour and as a result is considering its options regarding the utilisation of new capacity being introduced at the port.

In Barcelona, where Hutchison has been awarded the new container terminal concession, the port authority specified a highly automated terminal with the idea in mind, in part at least, of not having to wholly rely on labour to achieve targeted new efficiency levels, levels that deliver the service required to the shipowner and allow a sensible return on investment.

This recalcitrance by labour in Spain has long been a feature of operations there, being fuelled by the militancy of labour itself, the unwillingness of successive governments to tackle the labour issue head-on and the complacency of employers who have effectively bought solutions from the workforce. At the same time, the Mediterranean coast in particular has seen consistent double-digit increases in throughput and the workforce has grown more bullish as it has seen traffic continue to increase despite its increasing demands.

This, though, like all “good” things may soon end.The construction of new high capacity container terminals in Morocco and elsewhere in North Africa offer an alternative to traditional Bromma Group celebrates new order swathe Spanish Mediterranean hubs and Algeciras.

Foreign expertise is involved here – Maersk and Eurogate just to mention two well known names – and hence Spanish dockers may soon be looking over their shoulder. Reform has to come if positive momentum in the container sector in Spain is to be maintained.