The Normandy gateway, Le Havre—France’s biggest container port—is bracing for a storm. Dockers and port workers, rallying against state pension reforms, have kicked off a programme of industrial action. Think walkouts, strikes, and a ripple effect that’s already starting to spread.
The plan? Four-hour walkouts on 13 specific days, stretching from yesterday to 28 February, and a series of 48-hour strikes. Mark your calendars: 27, 29, 30, and 31 January, along with 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26, and 28 February, will see disruptions at Le Havre. And it doesn’t stop there.
Evidence of contagion came immediately. Yesterday, 80 workers at the port of Calais downed tools between midday and 4 pm, leaving passengers and freight stranded. Crossings? Cancelled. P&O and DFDS ships? Dead in the water.
This isn’t new. The dispute over raising France’s statutory retirement age has been brewing for over a year. Last June, a 24-hour stoppage led by the militant CGT union federation paralysed Le Havre’s terminals—ro-ro, bulk, and container. Ship calls were cancelled, vessel schedules derailed, and Marseille-Fos, the second-largest box port, wasn’t spared. There, 600 dockers blocked access, creating a logistical nightmare: delays of up to a week for hauliers, immobilised goods, and sky-high costs for logistics providers forced to divert flows to other European ports.
So why does this matter? Because this isn’t just a port problem; it’s a global problem. Every walkout, every cancelled ferry, every delayed container creates a ripple effect that hits businesses and consumers worldwide.
Here’s the kicker: we’ve been here before. Last summer, the strikes paused due to political chaos when President Macron dissolved Parliament. Two new governments later, the unions are back, ready to strike harder and longer.
For Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) and Logistics Service Providers (LSPs), this is a wake-up call. Supply chains are delicate ecosystems—one strike in Le Havre, and suddenly goods meant for Manchester, Madrid, or Munich are sitting idle. Firms need visibility tools that provide real-time data insights, enabling critical decisions to counteract these disruptions. Climate impact visibility software adds another layer—helping businesses reroute freight with an eye on sustainability, cost, and customer expectations.
The bottom line? If your supply chain strategy doesn’t include robust visibility, you’re playing roulette with your business. Le Havre isn’t just a French story—it’s a lesson for us all.