Kalimbassieris Maritime S.A has provided us with the following information.

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Piraeus port authority workers have been on strike for 13 days in protest over a deal by which Chinese shipping company COSCO was last year awarded a 35-year management concession for two of the three terminals at Ikonion Container Terminal. The agreement entered into force on 1 October and the rolling strikes commenced the same day. Today workers announced that strikes would continue until 18 October, however if there is no resolution of the dispute by that date it is likely that the strikes will continue.

As part of its election campaign the Greek government, newly elected on 4 October, had promised workers it would review the legality of the deal with COSCO. Last Friday, 9 October, the court affirmed the validity of the contract, but despite this workers have continued their strike action. In an attempt to now end the protest the government has reportedly invited dockworkers to discussions with COSCO over the management of the terminals.

The strikes involving around 1,500 local port authority workers have caused a standstill at Ikonion Container Terminal, with a backlog now of around 6,000 containers and congestion of vessels. Many vessels are now choosing to divert to other Greek ports. Even once the strikes cease it will be some days before the backlog of cargo is cleared and services resume as usual at the port.

Update:

This is to advise that services have resumed at Ikonion Container Terminal following a decision by Piraeus port workers to suspend their strikes until 2 November and return to work. The port workers were on strike for 17 days in protest over a deal made last year awarding management of two of the three terminals at Ikonion Container Terminal to Chinese company COSCO. The strikes were suspended after the government promised to renegotiate the terms of the deal but, depending on the progress of these negotiations, strikes may resume on 2 November. In the meantime, it will be several days before the backlog of containers is cleared at the port.

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