JOC Staff | Oct 15, 2012 8:46AM EDT
A labor dispute has severely disrupted operations at the Port of Sokhna, Egypt, according to reports from that country.
Dockworkers at the Ain al-Sokhna Terminal, operated by DP World, walked off the job over the weekend, calling for the reinstatement of eight coworkers fired for disciplinary reasons.
"Labor issues have caused a significant slowdown in operations, impacting both customers and the Egyptian economy. We are working to resolve the issues appropriately as soon as possible," DP World said.
“The strike has led to a total stoppage of work at the Sokhna Terminal,” Singapore-based container carrier APL said in a notice to customers.
The labor action is the latest in a string of work stoppages at Sokhna Port this year, including a five-day shutdown in February over wage improvement issues.
The Ain al-Sokhna Terminal, near the southern entrance of the Suez Canal, is Cairo’s main gateway for imports from the Far East.
