EMEA News
Piraeus Strike Hits Bunker Suppliers with Loading Delays
Extended strike action by pilot and tug operators in the Greek Port of Piraeus has left bunker suppliers dealing with loading delays, Platts reports.
The strike was originally scheduled to last from 6 a.m. local time on Monday to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, but was extended a further 48 hours.
While loadings completed on the weekend are said to have allowed suppliers to avoid delays for the first two days of the strike, continued strike action has caused issues for suppliers.
"It seems hardly anyone would have enough product on barges for another two days, and who knows, the strike might also continue for another 48 hours Friday onwards," said one Piraeus supplier.
Another supplier, commenting on the situation, said "we have three stemmed vessels to supply but due to the strike, we cannot load from refineries. Hence, the business will now unfortunately need to be canceled."
According to Ship & Bunker data, Piraeus IFO 380 prices have risen to around $250 per metric tonne (mt) in recent weeks, although some industry players associated this rise with higher oil prices and not the strike, with a similar price rise trend being witnessed in other ports.
One supplier is reported to have said that they expect the strike to come to a close by the weekend.
In late October, Ship & Bunker reported that Greek dock workers walked off the job to protest the seemingly inevitable privitisation of two of the countries' ports, Piraeus and Thessaloniki.
