Shipping containers started piling up at Greece's major commercial ports as a strike by dockers against port privatisations entered its second day this week, a merchant union said on Wednesday.
Port workers oppose government plans to sell stakes in some facilities at the country's major ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki as part of plans to pay down public debt and boost investment.
"About 3,500 containers are stranded in Piraeus, mostly with animal food and raw material for industrial use," said head of Piraeus merchant union, Vassilis Korkidis.
Only about 90 containers a day are leaving the port to be distributed in Greece or further in Europe, compared to the usual 500, he said.
The strike is forcing Greek traders to seek other more costly routes to move their goods.
"If the strike continue products will have to be exported and imported by road through Italy. This would mean higher costs," Korkidis said.
Employees at state-controlled Piraeus (OLP) and Thessaloniki (OLTH) ports have held rolling strikes and staged protests that have led to clashes with police.
"Greece's fate can not be left in the hands of a private company," said George Papavasiliou, an OLP employee.
Greek Merchant Marine Minister George Voulgarakis said workers rights would not be affected by the privatisation and that the results of an international tender to develop the ports will be known by March.
China's COSCO Pacific (COSCO) has shown interest in investing in Greek ports while analysts say companies such as Dubai Ports World, Hutchison, Maersk and Evergreen may also be interested.
OLP and OLTH are more than 70 percent state-owned. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; editing by Sami Aboudi)
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