The Port of Montevideo, a vital artery of the Uruguayan economy, is once again suffering from labor actions at the Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP), paralyzing operations from Saturday the 18th until at least Monday, October 20th.
This is not a mere labor dispute; it is an act of war against all of Uruguay, a deliberate act of sabotage that jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of families and the country's economic viability.
The conflict, which has dragged on for weeks, centers on the implementation of the Navis N4 operating system by Katoen Natie, the Belgian company that controls 80% of TCP in partnership with the National Port Administration (ANP).
The union members, led by Supra, reject this technological tool —widely used in more than 300 ports worldwide to optimize logistics and reduce waiting times— arguing unfounded fears of job losses.
Instead, they demand a reduction of the workday to six hours without a pay cut, an unrealistic demand that completely ignores the impact on regional competitiveness.
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The result: a union assembly that rejected government-backed proposals for tripartite dialogue, leaving the terminal inoperative and truck drivers stranded in endless lines.
The consequences are devastating and are not limited to the port. Each day of paralysis means containers go unloaded, ships "sail on" to rival ports such as Buenos Aires or Santos, and a disrupted commercial flow that affects not only Uruguay, but also dependent countries such as Paraguay and the Argentine littoral.
If there is no loading, there is no payment; if there is no payment, there can be no pay. This is a sector that represents about 70% of national port operations, with direct impacts on exporters of beef, soybeans, timber, and dairy products —pillars of our trade balance—.
