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Total stoppage at Port Nou: the strike shaking Barcelona’s logistics
Barcelona’s Port Nou faces three days of total strike action in March. Eight dismissals and new management posts have sparked the conflict. Port activity will be seriously affected. The union demands immediate reinstatement.
Port Nou de Barcelona faces three days of total strike action in March. Eight dismissals and new management posts have triggered the conflict. Port activity will be severely affected. The union demands immediate reinstatement.
Port Nou de Barcelona is preparing for a total shutdown in the middle of March, news that directly affects the city’s logistical and economic life. Unión Sindical de Trabajadores Portuarios has called a strike for the 13th, 19th and 26th, leaving the stevedoring terminal without activity on those key days for freight traffic.
The root of the conflict lies in the recent decision by Port Nou, a Grupo Bergé company, to dismiss eight operational employees. This measure coincides with the creation of eight new senior-management posts, which has generated outrage among the workforce. The union argues that the terminal’s safety and daily operation are called into question, while management justifies the dismissals on economic grounds.
The strike threatens to paralyse an essential part of port stevedoring, affecting both businesses and workers who depend on maritime flows. Union representatives demand the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed workers and reject the outsourcing of services, convinced that the company’s decision endangers service quality and job stability.
The background to this crisis worsened after A.P. Moller Capital, linked to the Maersk giant, acquired 51% of Grupo Bergé at the beginning of 2025. The announced expansion plan for the Spanish company appears to focus on strengthening the management structure, while operational jobs are under threat. The new management posts will oversee operations in other ports such as Sagunto, Huelva and Cádiz, but uncertainty is taking hold in Barcelona.
So far, the company has not responded to the union’s demands or offered public explanations about the internal reorganisation. Tension is rising as the dates of the stoppages approach, with the city watching how this strike will affect its port and commercial activity.
Port Nou is one of the key terminals for freight traffic in Barcelona, specialising in the stevedoring and unstevedoring of ships. Its strategic location and capacity to handle large volumes make it a fundamental pillar of the local and regional economy. Changes to its management and workforce not only alter workers’ day-to-day lives, but also affect the competitiveness of the port and the logistics chain connecting Barcelona with the rest of the world.