Felixstowe faces port disruptions as dockworkers begin eight-day strike

Around 2,000 dockworkers at Britain’s Port of Felixstowe started an eight-day strike from Sunday after negotiations over pay hikes failed.

PHOTO: Container handling facility at the Trinity terminal in Felixstowe. Port of Felixstowe

Talks between workers, represented by Unite union, and the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company have failed as the company refused to improve its offer of a 7% pay increase.

There are concerns that the strike could disrupt vessel movements and cargo handling in the UK’s largest container port. Container shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk is also bracing for an impact from the strike.

“We expect the strike action (in Felixstowe) to have significant impact to the vessel line up and are actively working along with vessel partners to mitigate risk and disruption as much as possible,” according to a statement on the company’s website.

The strike is also expected to hit the UK’s supply chain.

Besides, dockworkers in another British port, Liverpool, are planning a similar strike action.

“With such large strikes carriers are likely to have to offload UK-bound cargo in major hubs such as Antwerp and Rotterdam and as a consequence further worsen existing congestion problems on the continent as well,” liner consultancy firm Vespucci Maritime’s chief executive Lars Jensen said in a LinkedIn post.