Strike action in Bremerhaven and Hamburg

Update 02

Collective Agreement Negotiations between terminals and unions in Germany have been ongoing for a number of weeks, resulting in strike action from union members at Bremerhaven and Hamburg ports.

Before the next round of negotiations get under way on 11th and 12th July, union Ver.di has called for warning strikes across terminals. The Port of Hamburg (besides Frucht Terminal) will be subject to a 48-hour strike from 07:00 on 9th July to 07:00 on 11th July, while Bremerhaven workers will strike from 14:00 on 9th July to 22:00 on 10th July.

At this time, affected Maersk vessels at Hamburg and Bremerhaven will observe the duration of the strike and recover the impact when service resumes fully. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but rest assured our teams are evaluating the situation frequently and making decisions in the interest of minimising any impact on your supply chain.

The situation is subject to change at short notice with negotiations ongoing, and we will continue to look into further contingency measures if necessary for limiting delays to our customers’ cargo. We will keep you informed of any changes as soon as possible. To receive the latest ETA notifications, please sign up here.

Should you have any further questions, please contact your local Maersk professional. Our customer service and commercial teams are always available to support should you need assistance.

Maersk would like to inform you of the ongoing collective labour agreement discussions between terminals and labour unions in Bremerhaven and Hamburg, which have led to strike action in both ports. Strike actions have started on 17 June at 06:00 in Bremerhaven and 07:00 in Hamburg and will last for 24 hours.

Our teams are currently reviewing vessel line ups and schedules, as well as potential impact of the strike action on vessel departures. We are looking into taking additional measures, such as diversions or move count restrictions in order to minimise the impact on onwards vessel schedules, and consequently, delays to our customers’ cargo. We will keep you informed of any changes to the delivery of your cargo, and the overall situation. To receive the latest ETA notifications, please sign up here.

Once terminals resume operations on 18 June, there is a possibility of congestion for delivery and pick up of containers from the terminal, and customers are asked to plan their inland haulage accordingly. If you have booked inland haulage directly with Maersk, our teams will reschedule delivery or pick up of your containers to the next available slot.

As the situation surrounding strike action is subject to change in line with the ongoing negotiations, our teams remain in contact with the relevant parties and will inform customers of any updates as soon as more information becomes available. Our teams continue to focus on minimising the impact to our customers’ supply chains and thank you for your understanding. Our teams remain at your disposal, and should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your usual contact.