Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) is advising that port workers in Belgium today, 24th November 2014, started a 24 hour strike which will end at midnight 00:00hrs.
The strike by port labourers has been called by three national unions, in protest over the erosion of index-linked pay rises and tax increases.
Currently the strike is having a major effect on shipping operations in the area with the ports of Zeebrugge, Ghent and Antwerp particularly affected. ISS Belgium has advised that there is a backlog of 65 ships waiting at anchorage to call the Port of Antwerp with a further 12 vessels waiting to depart.
It is anticipated that this current 24 hour strike will be followed by a national general strike on 15th December 2014.
ISS will continue to monitor the strike and will report any updates through their website – www.iss-shipping.com. Customers are invited to contact our Belgian head office for further information at issanrops@iss-shipping.com
Inchcape Shipping Services is the world’s leading maritime services provider. With over 300 proprietary offices in 67 countries, and a workforce of over 3,900, the company’s diverse global customer base now includes owners and charterers in the oil, cruise, container and bulk commodity sectors as well as naval, government and inter-governmental organisations.
ISS provides landside commercial and humanitarian logistics, transit, offshore support, informational and other associated marine services. The company also provides a growing range of outsourcing services including global crew and marine spares logistics; port hub agency management; and sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning solutions through its subsidiary ShipNet.
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