Argentina strikes deal with maritime pilots, easing grain export bottleneck

Argentina's government has reached a deal with maritime pilots to cut their fees by 20%, resolving a dispute that had disrupted grain exports and port congestion.

Argentina's government said on Tuesday ​it had reached a deal ‌with ​maritime pilots to cut their fees by 20%, clearing the way for ship movements to resume after a stoppage ‌that disrupted grain exports from one of the world's top agricultural suppliers. The agreement should ease congestion at ports along the Parana River, a crucial artery for exports ‌of soy, corn and wheat, after business groups warned that dozens of vessels ‌had been affected by the dispute.

Maritime pilots, who board ships to guide them through local waterways and into and out of port, had announced a halt to services on Saturday in protest ⁠over a ​government move to deregulate ⁠the sector. The disruption to port traffic had raised fears of fresh delays to farm shipments at ⁠a time when Argentina is moving large volumes of grain and processed soy products ​to overseas markets.

Argentina is the world's largest exporter of soybean oil and soybean meal ⁠and a major supplier of corn and wheat. Under Tuesday's agreement, pilots will resume navigation services immediately, ⁠the ​government said in a statement.

It also said authorities would suspend a deregulation measure affecting the sector and open talks with pilots and other state agencies ⁠to review the issue. The affected ports are a key hub for farm exports, ⁠with vessels relying on ⁠pilot services to navigate the river system that links inland grain terminals to the Atlantic.