Maritime pilots' strike halts Argentina's grain exports, with at least 45 vessels affected

A strike by maritime pilots in Argentina has stopped ships from entering and leaving the country's grain ports, disrupting one of the world's leading grain suppliers. Argentina is the largest exporter of soya bean products and a major exporter of corn and wheat, with most shipments moving through ports along the Parana River.

The pilots walked off the job on Monday, 3 August 2026 (12 Mordad 1405), after the government published a decree on Friday, 31 July, deregulating river navigation services. The decree, signed by Argentinian President Javier Milei, calls for streamlining procedures, modernising regulatory requirements and eliminating obsolete or disproportionate regulations. A union representing the workers has warned that the decree could cut demand for Argentinian pilots and put their jobs at risk.

Gustavo Idigoras, president of the business chamber CIARA-CEC, said at least 45 vessels had been affected by the action and added that if the dispute was not resolved by Tuesday, about 30 more ships would join that list. Argentina's coastguard on Tuesday, 4 August, ordered the pilots back to work through a notice in the country's official gazette, warning of possible disciplinary sanctions. Any bottleneck at Argentina's ports feeds through to global food markets, a variable that also matters for Iran, which imports much of its animal feed inputs.