"Warning strike by Verdi causes disruption of Port of Hamburg operations for heavy vessels"
The trade union Verdi has declared a warning strike which has forced the Port of Hamburg to close for big ships for an indefinite amount of time. The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has confirmed that starting from Wednesday morning, ships that need a pilot cannot either enter or exit Germany's biggest port. According to the HPA, Verdi has directed employees of the port administration to join the warning strike from Wednesday 17.30 to Friday 6.00. This news was initially reported by the "Hamburger Abendblatt".
A female speaker from HPA provided an explanation: "As a result of the impending major limitations caused by the strike warnings, HPA has opted to shut down the Elbe for ships needing steering assistance from approximately 10 a.m. today and until further notice." Every boat that's over 90 meters in length or wider than 13 meters will experience an impact. The shutdown is crucial since the transfer boats operated by the pilots will participate in the strike, therefore it will be impossible for them to reach the larger boats.
The terminals have sailing lists that show big container ships like the "Cosco Shipping Nebula", "Tihama", and "Eugen Maersk", which are all about 400 meters long. It's hard to know how many ships will be affected when they leave because they only need to report it a few hours before they go. The person speaking said that the cruise ships won't have any problems. The next big cruise ship is called the "Aidaprima" and it's about 300 meters long and can fit 3,300 people. It won't be in Hamburg until Saturday.
The Port of Hamburg is the most essential location in Germany for handling cargo. Each year, approximately 130 million tons of goods are transported through its 50 handling facilities. The port includes 290 docks that can accommodate ships of every type, from massive container and bulk carriers to smaller feeder and inland vessels, as well as oil and chemical tankers. Despite the warning strike, significant traffic disruptions are not anticipated. Nearby ships could slow down to avoid the strike or wait in the German Bight, while others may change their course and stop at an alternate port before arriving at Hamburg.
The spokesperson for HPA declared that they have an emergency service agreement with Verdi, which can be helpful in times of accidents or other critical situations. Additionally, there will be limitations regarding locks, movable bridges, barrages, and the old Elbe tunnel in St. Pauli. It is anticipated that measures against the strike will continue until Friday morning, resulting in restricted access to these facilities or even full closures. On the bright side, flood protection and emergency services are available for the significant bridges. However, there are a couple of bridges, like the Este bascule bridge and the Cranz roller bridge, that cannot be opened for the time being.
Verdi, a union that represents workers, has announced a strike that will take place in Hamburg. The strike will affect all employees and trainees who work in public services. Verdi states that the strike will not only include HPA employees but will also involve thousands of workers from other sectors, such as hospitals, Elbkinder daycare centers, city cleaning services, and the State Opera. The strikers will gather at 9:00 a.m in Rathausmarkt, where they will hold a rally before marching through the city centre to the union building located at Besenbinderhof. The strike will end in a final rally for all participants.
The workers are planning a strike to make their demands known before the third round of negotiations in Potsdam from March 27 to 29. These demands include a wage increase of either 10.5% or a minimum of 500 euros per month for the roughly 2.5 million public sector employees working in federal and local governments across Germany. Employers have offered a smaller wage increase, including a five percent raise in two installments and one-time payments amounting to 2,500 euros.
