Argentina’s main ports have ground to a halt, with more than 150 ships stranded across the country’s waterways as harbor pilots and river guides have been on strike since Saturday to protest a decree issued by President Javier Milei deregulating their profession.
Harbor pilots, maritime pilots, and river guides are independent professionals with specialized knowledge of local waterways. They are responsible for safely guiding Argentine and foreign vessels into and out of ports and along inland rivers, and their presence is mandatory across much of Argentina’s commercial waterway network.
According to the Herald‘s sister publication Ámbito, sources in the agribusiness sector said more than 150 ships are unable to enter or leave ports because they require pilotage services to navigate the waterways.
The disruption is affecting both domestic and international trade, as well as fuel supplies, Ámbito also reported.
The decree
