Maritime workers employed by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) returned to duty at noon on 23 July after a 24-hour nationwide strike that began at 12:00 CET on 22 July. The walk-out, registered with Italy’s Transport Ministry by both CSLE and ORSA Marittimi unions, halted passenger- and freight-ferry departures on key routes linking Genoa, Palermo, Naples, Sardinia and Tunisia. The stoppage caused overnight delays and forced several companies to reroute time-sensitive cargo—such as chilled pharmaceuticals and automotive components—via road to alternative ports like Livorno and Civitavecchia. Thousands of holidaymakers were offered rebooking or hotel vouchers as vessels remained berthed. GNV says it will clear the backlog within 36 hours and honour EU Regulation 1177/2010 compensation claims. For mobility teams relocating staff or shipping household goods between mainland Italy and the islands, expect slot constraints and potential surcharges through the weekend. Freight forwarders advise confirming space allocations in advance and verifying whether GNV will issue ‘force-majeure’ certificates for insurance purposes. The unions threaten further action in August if wage negotiations stall, coinciding with Italy’s busiest ferry week around Ferragosto. Organisations with rotational offshore crews or project sites in Sardinia should monitor upcoming MIT strike bulletins and consider securing block bookings on rival operators Tirrenia and Moby to safeguard critical personnel movements.
