, on March 15, local time, a new round of cross-industry strikes were carried out in many parts of France, causing serious disruptions in maritime and inland cargo transportation across France. This round of strikes is also the eighth strike march since January this year. Many cities in France have held more than 200 demonstrations. Among them, the parade in Paris started at 2 pm local time.
According to union sources, the French railway company (SNCF) had about 15% of its employees participating in the strike as of noon on March 15, a sharp drop from March 7. The proportion of civil servants striking was less than 3%, while on March 7, the proportion was close to 25%.
because of the strike by air traffic control personnel, the Civil Aviation Administration (DGAC) asked airlines to reduce their flights by 20% on the 15th-16th. The French Civil Aviation Authority warned that flights at Orly Airport would be affected from the evening of March 14 to the morning of March 16. The French Civil Aviation Authority recommends that passengers contact airlines for flight information before traveling, and if possible, try to postpone the trip.
On the 16th of, the French government decided to bypass the National Assembly (House of Representatives) and force the pension reform. This led to another anti-pension reform protest in France, with police and protesters in the capital Paris into conflict.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the 16th, French Prime Minister Borne told the National Assembly that the government invoked Article 49, paragraph 3 of the Constitution to bypass the National Assembly and forcibly pass the pension reform bill.
In the evening of the 16th, some protesters and the police clashed. A fire broke out in the center of the Place de la Concorde, and police armed with shields and batons fired tear gas and cleared the square. According to Agence France-Presse, Paris police arrested at least 120 people before nightfall.
trade unions stressed that they would continue to oppose pension reform. French trade unions call for another full strike next Monday (March 20).
Maersk said in a message to customers that the French trade union has confirmed that the nationwide strike will start at 6: 00 a.m. on March 14 and will continue until 6: 00 a.m. on March 17. (Some workers strike until 20th)
The strike has had a multifaceted impact on operations and will cause serious disruptions in the movement of goods by sea and inland throughout France. Major contingencies include the "Evelyn Maersk" ship will cancel its call to Le Havre, the "Maersk Surabaya" ship as an alternative, and the "MSC Vittoria" and "MSC Diana" two ships will be delayed and the port's warehouses will be closed.
in terms of multimodal transport, all trains in the ports of Le Havre and fos were canceled and containers were stacked in inland warehouses. Maersk is conducting an analysis on a case-by-case basis, rearranging goods whenever possible and looking for alternative transport options, such as trucking as a possible alternative. Maersk will try its best to reduce the impact on customers.
Finally, I would like to remind the owners and friends of recent shipments to Europe, France and other countries to pay attention to the impact of cargo delays.
Source: Ningbo Shipping