Haifa Bay Pilots Disrupt Fuel Supply to Bazan Refinery, Court Orders Immediate Return to Work

Last Thursday, pilots from Haifa Marine Transportation, responsible for services at all Haifa ports and the sea link in Haifa Bay, refused to receive a fuel tanker for Bazan Oil Refinery at the Haifa Bay fuel terminal. The pilots cited professional reasons, but the company suspects the refusal is part of a labor dispute over employment conditions. Haifa Marine Transportation petitioned the Haifa Regional Labor Court, led by Vice President Judge Carmit Peled, demanding the pilots return to work immediately.

The pilots claimed the pier was unsafe, but the company presented an engineering report from Israel Ports Company’s chief engineer confirming the pier’s operational safety. The court ruled on Friday that although the pilots raised concerns about replacing fenders (shock absorbers along port piers), such replacements are ongoing but not always immediately after requests. The court emphasized that operations must continue uninterrupted around the clock, noting the pilots admitted no significant procedural changes since 2010 and that they had allowed fuel tankers to dock even after the latest fender replacement request in May 2026.

Bazan argued that any delay in receiving tankers critically impacts the national energy supply, a point the court underscored. This is not the first time pilots have disrupted Bazan’s operations amid labor protests. In March 2026, pilots refused to accept an LPG tanker for Bazan, leading to warnings and potential fines from the Shipping Authority and Israel Ports Company. That incident was particularly serious as it occurred during Israel’s involvement in Operation "Roar of the Lion" against Iran, with the tanker deemed a vital national asset. Pilots denied linking their refusals to protests, though a month earlier they had blocked an MSC vessel from docking at Haifa Bay, citing unresolved compensation agreements for unloading large ships.