Brazilian customs strike stands to paralyse air and sea freight for weeks

BRAZILIAN customs officers have gone on strike "indefinitely", which potentially will disrupt cargo flow at seaports, airports and bonded warehouses for weeks.

Sources told The Loadstar of London that "green channel" cargo will be cleared in primary zones, but cargo, which requires clearance will not be released. Brazil's airport operator, Infraero, expects congestion at airports and an impact on cargo capacity. Cargolux described the situation as being currently "stable," with transit cargo suffering most. Port terminals will also be challenged, and may not accept cargo.

The global shipping agency Inchcape's Brazil manager Francisco Villagran said civil servants of the "auditor class" sent a letter to Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff requesting a hearing and informing her of the strike.

"In the meantime customs started several strikes at a small scale in different ports as a pressure measure to demonstrate their position and the effects they can cause over the national economy in case their requirements are not met," he said.

Mr Villagran, whose company regularly publishes news of shipping troubles worldwide, said strikes of different sizes and manners had affected normal port operations in most of Brazil's major ports, including Santos, Paranagua, Salvador, Manaus, Santarem, Santana and Itacoatiara.

Customs officers have informed industry stakeholders that they will strike two days a week and go slow on other days, resulting in delays.

Union leaders say the strike will be effective because more than 50 per cent of Brazilian GDP is generated through ports.