Oslo-headquartered marine insurer Skuld has warned its members of protests by truck drivers in ten of Brazil’s 26 states that have been affecting the delivery of cargo to a number of Brazilian ports for the last 12 days, and might impact cargo availability, berthing schedules and loading operations in some places.
Skuld says that the strike started out as an isolated protest but now affects ports in central and southern states including Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goias, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. The roads leading to Brazil’s busiest ports, Santos and Paranagua, are among those blocked.
Despite intervention by the authorities and police, clearing a number of highways over the last weekend, the truck drivers resumed the strike on Monday, March 2. The southern ports are the most affected with 23 roads still remaining blocked.
Truck drivers are protesting against rising fuel prices, tolls and taxes as well as a new regulation proposed which aims to limit their working hours per day.
Image: Skuld