French port strike hits its economy competitiveness.

France’s pension reform has led to strikes at ports, raising concerns among transport operators and cargo owners about a potential decline in the competitiveness of French ports, which could favor other European ports.

Starts from 2025 January till now, the ongoing strike at French ports has resulted in 300 hours of downtime, significantly impacting the economy. A survey conducted by the country’s Freight Users Association indicates that between 25% and 30% of cargo has been redirected to other European ports, including Antwerp in Belgium, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Hamburg in Germany.

As long as the current circumstances continues, it could take between 5 to 10 years to recover the lost cargo, or it may even prove impossible to do so.

***Photo reference: https://www.railfreight.com/business/2025/02/27/intermittent-strikes-at-french-ports-to-continue-throughout-march/?gdpr=accept ***