Calais blockaded by Ferry strikers Wednesday morning

The port of Calais was closed for a third day on Wednesday morning as striking ferry workers were due to meet to decide whether to continue their dispute, which has seen them block the Channel tunnel and burn tyres on railtracks and roads. Officials advised travellers to seek alternative ways of crossing the Channel.

Migrants walk near trucks on a road which leads to the Channel Tunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais on Tuesday REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

There were long tailbacks on the A16 motorway leading to Calais as lorries queued for access to the blockaded port.

Thousands of vehicles were also stuck on the M20 to Dover in the UK.

Employees of MyFerryLink were to meet on Wednesday morning to decide whether to continue their strike in protest at Monday's court decision not to extend the deadline on a decision to rent the company's ferries to Danish operator DFDS.

DFDS says it will keep 202 of the 600 workers employed by the cooperative SeaFrance, which has been trying to keep the contract.

Another ferry, on which 120 people work, is to be taken over by Eurotunnel for freight transport.