Splash247: Argentina freezes pilotage reform after strikes paralyse maritime trade

Published by Splash247

Argentina has suspended a controversial overhaul of its pilotage regime after industrial action halted much of the country’s maritime trade and left more than 150 ships waiting to move.

Pilots resumed accepting assignments on Tuesday evening after reaching an agreement with the government. The deal temporarily suspends Decree 690/2026, cuts pilotage charges by 20% and establishes a joint working group to review the proposed reforms.

Vessel movements have restarted, but clearing the backlog across Buenos Aires, the Paraná-Paraguay waterway and Argentina’s main maritime terminals is expected to take time. Estimates put the number of affected ships at between 140 and 185.

Nearly 3m tonnes of grain, agricultural products and fuels were caught in the disruption. Some ships diverted to Montevideo and southern Brazilian ports.

President Javier Milei’s government introduced the decree last week, arguing that regulations dating from 1991 had restricted competition and increased logistics costs.

The reforms would have expanded the pilot register, capped tariffs and reduced mandatory pilotage requirements. Pilots opposed the changes, warning that they could compromise navigation safety on Argentina’s complex and commercially vital waterways.