The port at Calais in northern France will partially re-open from 1800 GMT Wednesday, a union leader said, while ferry workers take a break from their protests that have blocked access for three consecutive days.

Ahead of a meeting with Transport Minister Alain Vidalies on Thursday morning, the workers "will maintain pressure on the ships, but will let boats from the company P&O enter one by one... until the end of the negotiations," said Eric Vercoutre, secretary general of the Maritime Nord union.