Port Strike in Chile –
Union workers have gone on strike at key Chilean ports San Antonio and Angamos. The strike began after the union’s request for regular salary talks to include part-time and non-union workers was not addressed. Part-time and non-union workers make up the bulk of those in the port industry.
Read more from BN Americas.
Panama Canal Authority Refuses to Pay Cost Overruns – Last week the consortium of builders working on the Panama Canal requested a payment of $1.6 billion in cost overruns from the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) in order to continue working on the expansion. The PCA rejected this demand and is preparing to bring in a third party to finish the project if no deal is reached.
Read more from The Maritime Executive .
Japan Negotiates FTA with Turkey – Japan and Turkey are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that is expected to deepen economic relations and boost bilateral trade. With the FTA, small-medium enterprises (SME) in Turkey will be given more opportunities to export their products to Japan, one of the country’s most important markets.
Read more from World Bulletin .
Suez Canal Plan Finalization in the Works – Egypt has invited more than a dozen business groups to bid on a chance to develop the Suez Canal, the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia. A winning consortium will be selected in the next three months and will be given six months to come up with a master plan.
Read more from The Maritime Executive .
