MOSCOW (MRC) -- The French federation of port and dock workers, part of the CGT labor union, has called ports to suspend operations on Wednesday as protests against the government's pension reform continue, reported S&P Global.
A day of protests across France has also been called by the unions for Wednesday.
The federation, along with the CGT and other French labor unions called for renewed protests last week when industrial action and demonstrations last Wednesday and Thursday were followed by a nationwide strike on Friday.
There have been protests at most refineries and ports in France since December 5, 2019 over the pension reform plans, with staff at refineries blocking product shipments and staff at ports suspending operations. However, the industrial action appeared to be gradually easing off at refineries, with no plants closed.
Tugs operations at a number of French ports are likely to be disrupted Wednesday with disruptions expected to continue until Saturday, according to shipping sources. The industrial action is expected to affect the ports of Rouen, Brest, Lorient, Donges, St Nazaire, the Fluxel-operated Fos and Lavera oil terminals and Le Havre. But others ports, such as La Palllice and Bordeaux are not expected to be affected.
We remind that, as MRC wrote before, France's CGT union said on Friday, 10 January, it would continue a strike over the government's planned pension reform at refineries and petrol depots until 16 January, extending by almost a week a four-day action that started on 7 January. The decision came the day after new nationwide protest marches that failed to break the stalemate between government and unions after a more-than month-old public sector strike.
French oil major Total said earlier that strikes against the government’s pension reform were having no impact on its fuel supply and distribution ahead of a four-day nationwide strike in French oil refineries.
We also remind that in November 2019, Total disclosed that it is evaluating construction of a new gas cracker at its Deasan, South Korea, joint venture (JV) with Hanwha Chemical.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,904,410 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments increased from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,161,830 tonnes in January-November 2019, up by 7% year on year. Deliveries of all grades of propylene polymers increased, with the homopolymer PP segment accounting for the largest increase.
MRC