Dockers in Felixstowe are planning an eight-day wage strike action that could severely disrupt Britain's largest container port.

According to union Unite, nearly 1,900 workers are scheduled to stop work at the Hong Kong-owned port for more than a week, starting on Sunday, Aug. 21, and ending on Monday, Aug. 29. Last week, workers voted for strike action with 92 percent of the vote.

A prolonged strike will almost certainly disrupt traffic at ports, exacerbating the problems the UK economy faces as it prepares for a deep, year-long recession.

The Felixstowe terminal on the Suffolk coast handles about 2,000 vessels a year equivalent to 4m 20ft containers - including some of the largest ever. According to Eurostat, it is the eighth largest container port in Europe.

In total, the port employs 2,500 people. Unite said the loss of most of its workforce, including crane drivers, machine operators and stevedores (who unload ships) would have a "huge impact" on the UK supply chain. However, a source at the port said the strike would not mean a complete shutdown of it.

The pay dispute is the latest in a series of issues affecting Britain's transport infrastructure. There were also long queues for travellers passing through Dover last month as the port was unable to cope with the influx of holidaymakers after term ended at many schools in England and Wales.

There have also been several strikes by workers and train drivers on British Rail, with further action planned for two days over the next fortnight.