(ICIS) -- Angry protests by container-truck drivers in Shanghai have disrupted operations at the world's busiest container port and may lead to a delay in exports, industry sources said on Monday. Since 20 April, hundreds of truck drivers have been striking at major ports in Shanghai, seeking higher freight rates to offset their costs after China raised fuel prices for a second time this year, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported.
A shipping source at Ningbo in Zhejiang said, ⌠Two of my containers are still left in Yangzhou, and I could not get them transported to Shanghai. Even if they were transported to Shanghai, they still cannot be loaded. I can understand drivers' strikes as the rising fuel prices and other charges squeezed their earnings.
Reports on the incident were quickly removed from news websites and online forums and state media was informed not to report on the protests. Beijing is concerned that public unrest could result from anger over rising prices, particularly after inflationary woes helped to spark popular uprisings in the Middle East.
Shanghai is actively taking measures to respond to the strike, Xinhua reported early on Saturday in English, citing an unidentified Shanghai government spokesman.