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German and Dutch ports braced for strike action

Seaports in Germany and the Netherlands are braced for industrial action this week, with German dockers set to strike from later today (2 September) and their Dutch colleagues joining in on the action on Friday. German trade union ver.di has issued a strike call, its members having yesterday rejected the latest pay offer from the Central Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS) in what it described as an "escalating" dispute . Contacted by The Loadstar this afternoon, ver.di said it was once again calling on workers at ports in Lower Saxony, Bremen and Hamburg to take part in a warning strike from the Wednesday evening night shift (2 September) to the end of the Friday evening night shift on 4 September. The union staged similar action on 18 August. "The feedback is clear: the offer is not enough," commented one of ver.di's lead negotiators, Sylvi Krisch. In a statement earlier today, Christian Warnke, a ver.di union spokesperson who works at the Port of Hamburg's Burchardkai said: "More than 6,000 employees took part in the feedback round, which lasted just under a week. A large majority voted against accepting the employers' offer. This means that negotiations must continue. We are still waiting for a new date for negotiations. But there has been radio silence from the employers. Anyone who does not want to come to the negotiating table must feel the pressure from the streets. That is why we are now going on strike." In a message issued to customers this afternoon, Kuehne + Nagel (K+N) said that "according to current information, the strike is due to begin today, 02 September, with the start of the late shift at approximately 2200 local time, and it is expected to continue for 48 hours". During this period, container terminals are expected to suspend operational activities. Container deliveries and pick-ups will not be possible while the strike is in effect, it warned. "The disruption may result in delays, cancellations and handling interruptions at port terminals. These developments come at a time when German ports and transport capacities are already heavily utilised, while terminal utilisation remains high," K+N added Meanwhile, tri-modal transport operator Contargo is warning customers of potential disruption to freight traffic and intermodal services on 4 September due to strike action at seaports in the Netherlands, notably Rotterdam. The industrial action is understood to form part of wider union opposition to plans by the Dutch government to reduce social welfare spending. "A strike has been announced in the Dutch seaports for 4 September. Based on the information currently available, we expect terminal operations in Rotterdam to be severely restricted or completely suspended between approximately 1030 and 2000 local time," Contargo said. In addition, a nationwide 24-hour stoppage has been called in the rail sector for 9 September 2026.

Reports: Germany says Russia to blame for explosives found at Leipzig Airport

Germany has accused Russia of being responsible for a drone carrying explosives that was discovered within the cargo area of Leipzig Airport last month, according to media reports. The Saxony State had confirmed that an airport employee discovered a drone equipped with an unknown explosive device during the night of 4-5 August. The detonator was removed and a controlled explosion was also carried out by police. A suspected second unidentified flying object later collided with a DHL freighter, while a third drone was reportedly found near the airport 10 days later. Germany's interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said at a press conference on 1 September that findings of investigative work by German and European authorities "clearly point to Russian involvement", reported German publication tagesschau. The German government believes Germany has been and will be the target of further such attacks by Russia, Foreign Minister Wadephul said. Additionally the Associated Press reported that Dobrindt said authorities found elements such as the drone configuration, components, explosives and detonator that are "known to us from other Russian hybrid operations and its war against Ukraine." He said the device pointed to "a high degree of technical expertise" and painstaking planning, but carrying out the plan appears to have been left to "low-level" agents. ""Taken together, the police investigations, the pattern and intelligence findings prove a Russian responsibility for the attempted attack at Leipzig airport," he said. The German government has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate general in Bonn on 18 September.

SolitAir adds new African routes

Dubai-based cargo airline SolitAir has launched flights to Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria and Egal International Airport in Hargeisa, Somaliland, taking the carrier's African network to 20 destinations across 16 countries. A SolitAir statement noted that Port Harcourt International Airport "sits at the heart of Nigeria's oil and gas economy and ranks among the country's busiest cargo gateways", while Egal International Airport "anchors a region whose exports - from livestock to time-sensitive agricultural goods - depend on reliable dedicated freighter capacity". According to the carrier's founder and chief executive, Hamdi Osman: "Nigeria and Somaliland are important additions to our African network, giving us an opportunity to strengthen connections between the Gulf and these markets. As we continue to expand, we're focused on identifying destinations where there is clear demand for reliable air cargo services and where we can add value to existing trade flows. "These routes were built around real customer demand. Port Harcourt and Hargeisa are good examples of how we're developing the network - by looking at where our partners need to move cargo and building connections that support those trade flows," Osman added. SolitAir has also been expanding its network elsewhere this year, adding flights to Bulgaria, China, Romania and Kyrgyzstan. The dedicated B2B express middle-mile cargo airline, which operates a fleet of seven Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft, now connects its home hub at Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport with over 60 destinations in Asia, Africa and Europe.