Rising Fuel Prices Spark Fishermen Protests Across Southern France
Fishermen in southern France blocked access to two ports and a fuel depot on Thursday in protest against rising fuel prices, which they say are placing further pressure on an already struggling industry.
The protests along France’s Mediterranean coast disrupted access to the ports of Nice and Sète, as well as a fuel depot in Frontignan.
The action comes as fuel prices at French service stations approach record levels.
The price of diesel, the most widely used fuel in France, rose above €2.37 per litre on Thursday, equivalent to around R44.25 per litre, according to an AFP analysis of government data. The price remains just below the record of €2.38 per litre.
“We’ve really had enough,” fisherman Tony Dalmasso told AFP in Nice.
“The price of diesel, the European regulations, it’s all just become too much.”
‘The Last Straw’
Pierre Palumbo was among a group of fishermen who set fire to tyres along a road leading to the oil depot in Frontignan.
“The price of diesel was just the last straw,” Palumbo said, pointing to other concerns facing the fishing industry, including catch limits on bluefin tuna and new regulations affecting eel fishing.
Crude oil prices have risen sharply this month amid escalating tensions involving the United States and Iran, while disruptions to oil infrastructure in the Middle East have added to concerns over global supply.
Fishermen Demand Fuel Price Freeze
The French government has pointed to the conflict involving the United States and Iran as a key factor behind the recent increase in fuel prices.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Wednesday that the government would increase fuel subsidies for the fishing industry to the maximum level permitted under European Union rules.
The announcement, however, failed to ease tensions among fishermen.
“Our main request to the minister is a freeze on prices at the pump,” Ange Natoli, a fisherman from Martigues near Marseille, told AFP ahead of a meeting with government authorities in Paris.
French motorists have also been seeking cheaper fuel, with queues forming at TotalEnergies service stations after the company capped petrol prices at €1.99 per litre, or around R37.16.
The price cap was introduced amid political pressure for energy companies to contribute more towards the rising cost of living through a proposed windfall profits tax.
France has previously experienced widespread protests over fuel prices. A planned fuel tax increase in 2018 contributed to the Yellow Vest movement, which saw months of demonstrations during French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term.
Rising Fuel Prices Could Hit South Africans
The impact of higher international oil prices is also being closely watched in South Africa, where motorists could face significant increases at the pumps next month.
International oil prices continued to climb this week, with Brent crude trading around $108.06 per barrel as tensions in the Middle East remained elevated.
The latest daily snapshot from the Central Energy Fund indicates potential increases of up to R2.41 per litre for 95 unleaded petrol in October.
Diesel prices could also rise, with the data indicating potential increases of around R2.04 per litre for 500ppm diesel and R2.40 per litre for 50ppm diesel.
The figures are based on current market movements and can change before the final fuel price adjustments are announced.
For South African motorists, continued volatility in international oil prices could therefore translate into higher fuel costs at the pumps in October.