Dockworkers protested against arms shipments in more than a hundred ports worldwide

Dockworkers from 22 countries protested against the use of ports for arms exports related to wars, demanding better working conditions and medical care on ships. The strike, initiated by unions from Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Turkey, and Morocco, involved over 113 ports and aimed to highlight the dangers faced by seafarers in conflict zones. The protests affected major ports like Hamburg, Valencia, and Genoa. In May 2026, European dockworker unions issued the Istanbul Declaration, opposing the transport of weapons through ports. The Greek seafarers' union reported numerous attacks on vessels in the Persian Gulf, resulting in casualties. The strikes were coordinated with a national general strike in Italy and aimed to disrupt a significant portion of Mediterranean trade, although the actual impact on global supply chains remains uncertain.