Union Worker Strike: Closes Germany’s Hamburg Port to Large Ships

Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has closed the port to large vessels due to a strike called by the Verdi union over wage disputes, the authority announced on Wednesday.

"Due to the significant disruptions expected from the announced warning strikes, the authority has decided to block the Elbe River for ships requiring pilotage from around 10 a.m. today until further notice," an HPA spokesperson said.

Starting from 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT), large ships will no longer be able to leave the port as the crews responsible for bringing pilots on board container ships are joining the strike, the spokesperson added.

The closure will affect approximately 18 ships en route to Hamburg, while the number of ships unable to depart the port is harder to estimate due to logistical factors.

Verdi plans to continue the strike until 6 a.m. on Friday and has also called for workers at Hamburg Airport to walk out as part of the broader public sector wage dispute. The protests, scheduled to last 24 hours, began with the night shift on March 22