After nearly five days of disruption at Europe’s largest container port, hundreds of striking lashers in Rotterdam have agreed to temporarily suspend their strike starting Monday morning to allow wage negotiations with employers to resume. The decision follows a court hearing, where the FNV union and port company representatives agreed to meet again on Sunday to continue discussions.

The strike, which began last Wednesday, had brought container operations to a halt, with around 700 workers stopping work entirely — leading to a backlog of vessels waiting to be handled. Both sides have now agreed that port operations will resume from 07:00 on Monday through Friday. If no deal is reached by the end of the week, the strike may resume. Employers, already facing heavy operational losses, have reportedly sought legal intervention should the talks fail.

The situation in Rotterdam highlights the growing tension in Europe’s port logistics sector, where rising inflation and competition between terminal operators are fueling stronger union demands for better wages and working conditions.

For logistics companies, the disruption has already led to higher charter and demurrage costs, while shipping lines face potential schedule delays across major Northern European hubs.

FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging) — the largest trade union federation in the Netherlands, founded in 1976. It represents over 1 million workers across various industries, including manufacturing, transport, and maritime logistics.