New Attempt to End Crippling French Port Strike

Strikers at France’s Fos Lavera oil hub are meeting port and Gaz de France officials on Thursday in a fresh bid to find a way out of a 16-day strike threatening fuel supplies to motorists and exports to U.S. markets.

Some refineries could start shutting down as soon as Friday if the dispute is not resolved, operators said.


Fos Lavera is the world’s third-biggest port for oil products with 64.2 million tonnes moving through it annually.

The meeting will be the third attempt to try and end the strike which started on March 14 to demand that only port staff are used to hook up liquefied natural gas cargoes at a GDF terminal due to start up at the end of 2007.

CNBC