Continuing strike action by agricultural inspectors in Brazil is bringing Santos port to its knees, claims Jose Roque, executive vice president of Sindamar, the ship agents’ association for Santos and Sao Paulo state. There are now 3,700 containers (2,000 for import and 1,700 for export) waiting to be cleared, a significant increase on the 1,100 boxes waiting for release on Monday. Containers are being piled all over the port area, and available space is running out. “If the strike continues into next week we will have complete and utter chaos,” warned Roque. Wood products and reefer cargo are causing the most problems. The agricultural inspectors’ union is asking for a pay rise of 45-55% over three years, while the Department of Agriculture in Brasilia is offering just 12-15%. Santos is particularly badly hit because almost one-third of Brazilian foreign trade is handled by the port.
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