Belgium's ports faced renewed disruption on Tuesday due to a nationwide strike organized by the ABVV-ACOD union, marking the third such strike since March. The protest targets the public sector and forms part of ongoing resistance to the De Croo government’s austerity and reform agenda.

Antwerp-Bruges Port

As of 09:15, Antwerp-Bruges Port reported serious delays, especially at the locks:

Zandvliet & Kieldrecht locks: operational, but limited to vessels under 180 meters.

Van Cauwelaert lock: open for inland shipping.

Kallo & Boudewijn locks: non-operational due to strike.

Berendrecht lock: closed for scheduled maintenance.

Tidal quays: remain unaffected.

Currently, 14 vessels are waiting to enter, and 11 departures are delayed. Inland shipping is possible but limited. Tug operations are at 70% capacity, and pilotage services are also impacted. While port authorities report no major immediate disruption to auxiliary services, lock congestion is worsening.

Preventive Measures

Terminal operator PSA Antwerp suspended export container deliveries from May 19 at 22:00 to May 21 at 06:00. Only import pick-ups are being processed during this period. To ease congestion, Europa Terminal (K869) and Noordzee Terminal (K913) will be open to all trucks on May 24 (Saturday) during the first shift.

Limited Impact in Zeebrugge & North Sea Port

In Zeebrugge, port operations remain largely unaffected, with only one vessel reporting delay. However, the inland waterway lock to Bruges is closed until Wednesday at 06:00.

The North Sea Port, spanning Belgium and the Netherlands, reported no major disruptions but continues to closely monitor the situation.