No Christmas backlog

In a statement, the Ministry of Works and Transport confirmed the resumption of activities by local hauliers at the port "to the highest possible level of operation." The ministry said since the hauliers resumed work on Monday, more than 300 containers have been processed and transported off the port.

Furthermore, the ministry indicated that all port stakeholders have agreed "to work together to clear containers off the port as quickly as possible in order to facilitate the demands of the Christmas season."

Last week, Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert warned that Government would take legal action against the hauliers after they tried to impose an illegal tax on the Port Authority over delays in removing containers from the port. Earlier last week, the hauliers said they would only move empty and export containers from the port. On Monday, Imbert said talks between the hauliers and the business community over the weekend have resulted in a consensus, and there was no need for Government intervention to resolve the matter.

The minister said he has decided to get a third party to verify the turnaround times for trucks at the port and engage in regular dialogue so that appropriate action could be taken whenever necessary to remove impediments to the smooth processing of containers at the port.