On October 5, pilots represented by the Professional Association of Pilots (BvL) union began an indefinite strike action across Belgian ports. The strike, which involves a punctuality measure limiting the manning of ships between the hours of 10:00 until 17:00, is in response to a planned pension reform that would reduce the pension of young pilots by up to 45% compared to older colleagues. While pilots reached a provisional agreement with government officials in the summer of 2024, a formal response from the government over a request for new negotiations has not been issued. As a result of the strike, disruptions have been reported across Belgian ports including the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Zeebrugge (together known as the Port of Antwerp-Bruges) and the Port of Ghent. Although the Port of Antwerp-Bruges serves as a vital container port serving multiple industries, its role as a top automotive, steel, and chemical shipping hub may disrupt these sectors in particular. Meanwhile, a concurrent two-day strike by lashers at the Port of Rotterdam threatens to further disrupt North Sea shipping.
Strike action places strain on shipping activities in Western Europe
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is the second largest port in Europe and connects to more than 800 destinations, making disruptions to its operations particularly damaging to shipping. Although the port acts as a critical connection globally, it is especially vital to European trade. About 81,000 ships sailed to the port in 2024; of these, about 61,000 were inland vessels and other vessels serving the interior of Europe. In tonnage, just under half of the total maritime cargo handled at the port is destined for or originates from a short-sea destination situated in Europe or on the Mediterranean or Black Sea.
Due to decreased ship availability amidst pilotage absences, between October 5-7 an estimated 10,000 containers could not be handled in Antwerp. Terminal operators DP World and PSA Antwerp have confirmed that their terminals have already been impacted by the action. As of 07:00 local time on October 9, port authorities reported that at least 34 ships were facing delays at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. A further 65 ships at the port had no known schedule, and 63 ships were reported waiting in the North Sea, an increase of nearly 40 ships at sea compared to the first day of the strike. Additionally, Dutch ports like Vlissingen and Terneuzen, which are often served by Belgian pilots, may also face delays if the strike continues.
Typically, ships destined for the Port of Antwerp could divert to Europe’s largest port, the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, in the event of disruptions. However, lashers – workers responsible for securing containers – of the companies International Lashing Service and Matrans Marine Services will also hold a 48-hour strike at the Port of Rotterdam beginning on October 8. The Dutch trade union FNV, which called the strike, has indicated a high likelihood of operations at the port coming to a halt amid an already increased number of ships waiting to be loaded and unloaded in Rotterdam following storm-related congestion. The simultaneous strike actions in Belgium and the Netherlands may result in even broader disruptions to Western European maritime shipments in the days to come.
Automotive, steel, and chemicals shipments at heightened risk of disruptions
Given the Port of Antwerp-Bruges’s position as a major container port, nearly all industries are at risk of substantial delivery delays in the event of prolonged or escalated industrial action. In 2024, nearly 149 million tons of containerized freight were shipped; 8.6% of those containers were temperature-controlled reefers for products like fresh fruit or pharmaceuticals.
In addition to being a major container port, the port is the world’s largest car port. In 2024, over 3.35 million new cars were handled at the port, as well as an additional 220,771 trucks, buses, and/or high and heavy vehicles, which include tractors and construction vehicles.
The port also houses the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe, with the port handling over 55 million tons of petroleum derivatives and over 17 million tons of chemicals in 2024. The Port of Zeebrugge in particular serves as a liquefied natural gas hub for northwestern Europe, handling about 15% of Europe’s natural gas imports. Finally, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is considered the European market leader in steel handling and moved over 8 million tons of metal products in 2024.
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