In this country, all ports are closed for two weeks!

Starting this week, Finnish ports were forced to close for two weeks due to strikes. The half-month-long strike may cause many problems in international logistics and cargo delivery.

All Finnish ports closed for two weeks

The Finnish Automobile and Transport Workers' Union (AKT) has announced a new strike from 6 am on March 11 to 6 am on March 25.

The Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) estimates that around 7,000 employees will take part in the strike.

The strike, organized in opposition to labor market reforms and social security cuts planned by the government of Prime Minister Petri Orpo (NCP), aims to disrupt freight rail services and bring processes to a standstill by stopping the movement of goods at the ports. The operations of industry are complicated to put pressure on the government.

"The strike will bring freight traffic to a standstill at the port, while passenger traffic will be unaffected," the union said in a statement.

It is reported that the AKT strike involves VikingLinie shipping company's loading and unloading operations at the ports of Helsinki and Turku, and all work will be stopped during the strike.

During the strike, employees at NesteCorp.'s petroleum products warehouses in Hamina, Kemi, Kokkola and Tornio will not work shifts.

In a statement, AKT Chairman Ismo Kokko apologized for the inconvenience caused by the strike but stressed the need to take action against the Finnish government's plans to weaken workers' rights for current and future generations. He stressed that the strike was not directed against the employers concerned or existing collective agreements.

Industry associations such as the Finnish Forest Industry, the Finnish Technology Industry and the Finnish Chemical Industry strongly criticized the new strike as irresponsible. Closing the ports for two weeks is such a draconian measure that these companies will no longer be able to recoup the resulting losses. The joint statement said the strike posed a serious threat to the Finnish economy and caused irreparable damage.

Finnish Prime Minister Orpo Orpo (NCP) believes that the strike is regrettable but will not solve the problem. He told the news agency through an aide that a lengthy political strike would cause huge damage to the national economy and impose huge costs on taxpayers.

Employment Minister Ato Sartonen said the government would move forward with proposals for peace talks on the strike, despite the recently announced strike.

Maersk Kuehne + Nagel DSV issue emergency warning

In this regard, the shipping company Maersk issued an emergency warning to customers on its official website: the two-week political strike will affect the operations of all Finnish ports, and pointed out that the strike will also widely affect Finland's industrial and service industries.

Maersk will provide customers with further information on the further impact of the strike on its feeder operations as soon as possible in the coming days.

The official website of the freight forwarding giant Kuehne + Nagel also issued an early warning on this matter.

The notice states that as most workers representing the stevedoring industry participate in the strike, all container port operations in Finland are expected to be suspended and ship loading and unloading operations will also be interrupted. In addition, air and road logistics will be affected during the strike.

DSV also issued a relevant warning on its official website in Finland: The strike in Finland will affect operations in March.

In mid-March, the strike will bring Finnish ports to a standstill starting Monday, March 11. The strike affects road, air and sea transport, with possible delays and disruptions. Even after the strike ends, things will not return to normal as it will take time to clear the congestion.

During the strike, container ships will not be loading or unloading at the port. Likewise, pick-up and delivery of cargo containers and empty containers to the port will also be suspended. The breakbulk terminal is operating normally and ocean LCL export cargo can be handled via continental European ports.

The knock-on effects of Finnish port closures

Finland has several major ports, including Helsinki, Turku, Hanko and Vaasa. These ports are located on the Baltic Sea coast in southern, eastern, western and northern Finland.

These ports are located across the country, play an important role in Finland's economy and trade, serve different industries and regions, and together form an important part of Finland's maritime transport network.

Therefore, for the global shipping industry, the closure of Finnish ports will undoubtedly have a series of knock-on effects.

First, those affected will be those cargoes that rely on Finnish ports for transshipment or loading and unloading. Due to port closures, these goods will not be transported as planned, potentially resulting in delivery delays or cancellations.

Secondly, shipping companies may need to re-plan routes to avoid affected areas, which will increase operating costs and time costs.

In addition, the strike may also trigger workers in other countries and regions to follow suit, further exacerbating tensions in the global shipping industry.

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