In Spain, 78% of imports and 57% of exports are made through the commercial port network; therefore, the stevedores’ strike is being particularly sensitive to the continuity of port activity and losses may extend well beyond the end point of the conflict.
The dockworkers’ strike has already cost 146 million euros between direct and indirect losses caused by the strike, according to the Government. Likewise, 34 ships have been diverted to ports outside Spain as a result of the stoppages. The strike has grounded more than 1,000 containers of goods destined for international markets and, according to the Europa Press agency, the stevedoring unions have called four new 48-hour stoppages for the end of June and the beginning of July. This time they will not be uninterrupted, but will only affect odd hours.
The main demand of the dockworkers in the face of the reconversion of their trade is that employment be guaranteed for the entire group through their subrogation. These stoppages, called by the unions CETM, UGT, CCOO, CIG and CGT, are due to the lack of 100% guarantee of employment by the employers’ association Anesco after the approval of the stevedoring regulation decree. The minimum services set by the Ministry of Public Works, which has created an interministerial committee to analyze the development of the strikes, protect operations involving perishable or dangerous goods, whose permanence in the port may represent a serious risk to people or facilities. Also the services that are necessary to guarantee the supply, health care and special and essential supplies to the island territories, Ceuta and Melilla.
China buys Spanish ports
China continues on its path to become the world’s leading trading power, this time on the occasion of the Spanish dockworkers’ strike. On the occasion of the dockworkers’ strike, COSCO has bought through JP MORGAN the main ports of Spain and this undeniably favors China. Now, the entry of products from the Asian country into the European Union will become easier and easier.
The Asian country is investing in Asia, Latin America, Europe, the US and Africa, in that order. China has taken advantage of the dockworkers’ strike to invest in Spanish ports and thus control the entry to Europe from the South. In Europe, specifically, it gets technology and logistics; that’s why the purchase of Spanish ports makes sense.
“China is willing to lead a new, fairer and more reasonable international order. A centralized regime, which allows for many advantages in implementing a particular business strategy, developing it and keeping the government and enterprises working together for a common purpose,” Xi Jingping stressed during his visit to the European Union.
