Escalating dockworker conflict now threatens Swedish economy

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The row between management and dockers at Sweden’s major container gateway, Gothenburg, has now descended to such a point that the entire economy of the country could be hobbled. The facility, operated by APM Terminals, last week indicated it would begin partial lockouts of labour until the end of June in response to a series of blockades by a dockworker union that wants to introduce collective bargaining. News of the lockouts has led several shipping lines to seek alternative ports of call, while major shippers in the country are faced with having to truck cargo all the way to mainland Europe. “Exporters would probably have to send their goods by truck to German ports such as Hamburg and Bremerhaven, Rotterdam in the Netherlands or Antwerp in Belgium. That would add time and drive up costs.”