As things stand, and subject to an eleventh-hour reprieve, almost 2,000 workers at Felixstowe Port will be walking out on Sunday for eight days bringing the port to a standstill.
Talks have continued to break down and at this stage there is very little sign that the industrial action will be avoided.
Carriers have made some contingency plans, which have largely focused around changing rotations so that vessels arrive either before or after the strike period.
In some cases, steamship lines have made arrangements for vessels to discharge Felixstowe cargo in mediterranean ports, to be picked up by the following week’s vessel.
There are also some vessels that will discharge at alternative ports, with at least one Maersk vessel expected to arrive at London Gateway, including the congested Northern European ports.
The picture is still not completely apparent as carriers continue to monitor the situation, perhaps with hope the strike could have been averted.
The Westbound management team have been working hard on contingency plans. However, we are reliant on what the lines do with their vessels in the coming week.
Westbound are very much here to help and with the strike looking likely to proceed we aim to minimise any frustration that accompanies it.
We are in the process of notifying customers when we get confirmed vessel information. Should you require any further information, or be concerned about upcoming arrivals, please do not hesitate to contact one of the team.
At Westbound Logistics we pride ourselves in offering personalised and tailored logistics solutions. To find out more please call 01375 800800 or email info@westboundglobal.com.
