The strike by Brazilian health inspectors entered its fourth day today (2/20/04) and is not expected to end until 27 February, after the Carnival celebrations finish.

Anvisa, the Agency for Sanitary Inspection, which is responsible for carrying out health checks on vessels before they enter Brazilian ports, has gone on strike in Santos, Suape, Recife, Salvador, Vitoria and Sao Sebastiao. Its 1,000 members are demanding more pay and inclusion in the federal government pension scheme.

Fernando Rodriguez, a shipping manager based in Santos for Brazilian ship agents Unimar, said that the number of vessels waiting at Santos had risen to nearly 40 with only cruise vessels and chemical carriers with dangerous cargo being inspected.

"This whole affair is bad news for Brazil. In fact it is a disaster," a senior manager for P&O Nedlloyd in Brazil said. Operators will have to decide whether to skip Santos and the affected ports or wait for the strike to end, but with charter rates at $30,000 per day per 2,500 TEU vessel, costs are rising for the shipping lines. However, Paranagua south of Santos, and Sepetiba and Rio de Janeiro to the north are so far not affected.