Germany: The ports of Bremehaven/Bremen have announced that some 1,400 out of 2,400 workers will be dismissed by the end of the year, as the global economic downturn takes its toll on profit margins across the world.

Bremerhaven has reported a 25 percent decrease in container business while its handling of automobiles has slumped by 50 percent.

Some port operators are in talks with German union representatives about the possibility of implementing shorter working hours in order to retain more staff.

In Rostock, the local union agreed to apply shorter work hours for 69 employees. Rüdiger Kamrau, Managing Director of GHB Rostock said that measures were being taken to increase training procedures for the employees.

Similarly, the union has managed to arrange shorter work hours for 700 out of 1,100 of its workers in Hamburg.