Ships remain docked today in ports across the country, as the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation for all categories of ships remains in effect, in response to developments in the Middle East and the demand for the release of Greek seafarers currently in the wider region.
The strike began at 12:01 a.m. and will end at 12:00 a.m., affecting all categories of ships nationwide.
The Federation’s leadership describes the situation that has arisen due to the war in the Middle East as «particularly serious and dangerous,» noting that hundreds of Greek and foreign seafarers remain stranded in the wider region.
At the same time, the Federation denounces the action as provocative —regarding which, as it states, it has already sent a letter—according to which a company, in consultation with the government, was allegedly preparing to dispatch a ship to a region where armed conflicts are raging. The PNO notes that it made it clear to the representative of the company in question, who visited the Federation’s offices, that «no ship will depart from Greece for the Middle East.».
Among the PNO’s key demands are the immediate release of all seafarers currently in the area, the declaration of the wider zone as off-limits to ships, as well as the Ministry taking measures to assist cadets serving on ships who are unable to return to continue their studies.
The Panhellenic Union of Tugboat and Lifeboat Crews is also participating in the mobilization.
At the same time, maritime labor unions are planning a a protest rally at the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy and at the offices of the Union of Greek Shipowners, with their main demand being the protection of the lives and the immediate repatriation of seafarers currently in the wider Persian Gulf region.
The mobilization is taking place amid a period of intense geopolitical instability around the Strait of Hormuz, with maritime labor unions citing particularly dangerous navigation conditions, Greek-owned ships being stranded, and an increased risk to crews.
