A week-old strike at a tugb company has disrupted vessel loading at Rouen, France's largest grain export terminal, leaving nearly a dozen vessels queuing, the port operator said on Thursday.
France is the European Union's biggest grain producer and around half of its grain exports pass through Rouen, located on the river Seine near the country's north coast.
"The industrial action is disrupting port activity in Rouen during the peak grain season. As an illustration, 11 ships are currently waiting," Haropa Port said in an emailed statement.
Port data compiled by LSEG this week showed a long list of loadings pending at Rouen.
To alleviate congestion affecting grain silos at the port, Haropa had authorised another tug operator to intervene, it said.
It also requisitioned on Tuesday one tug from the operator where the strike is taking place to prevent a vessel running aground, it added.
Data published separately by Haropa showed loadings were picking up again. Six vessels, including two wheat shipments, left the port on Tuesday and Wednesday, after a pause between Friday and Monday.
(Reporting by Gus Trompiz Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
