clyde & co – Ports strikes adding to supply chain headaches – strikes, delay and matters affecting performance

With strike action planned and expected to hit both the Ports of Felixstowe and Liverpool in the coming days, the UK supply chain faces the threat of ever-increasing pressure and disruption. Some 1,900 workers at Felixstowe plan to stop all operations between 21 and 29 August 2022 and whilst dates are yet to be confirmed for Liverpool, press reports suggest that up to some 500 workers will strike there to coincide with the Felixstowe walk out. If the strike action goes ahead, this will significantly impact port operations including the arrival of at least 10 vessels at Felixstowe and 5 vessels at Liverpool over the eight-day period. Those arrivals include Evergreen, MSC, OOCL, COSCO and Maersk container vessels alongside a number of bulk and tanker vessels.