Belgium’s three main labour unions banded together in what is likely the largest of the strikes over the past 10 months, protesting the country’s austerity budget. Ocean-going shipping and inland cargo operations ground to a halt along with trains, airports and many services, with union officials saying the strike was expected to culminate on Wednesday, November 26, in a nationwide effort that could paralyze Belgium.
The strike spread to shipping on Tuesday afternoon as the operator of the pilot boats at Vlissingen, which is responsible for transferring Flemish pilots to seagoing vessels to guide them to and from the ports, joined the strike. It meant that pilots were unavailable to move ships along the Scheldt, effectively suspending all arrivals and departures from Antwerp and Ghent. As of Tuesday evening, the operators of the Zeebrugge Traffic Centre also joined the action. The port of Zeebrugge was effectively blocked.
The port authority reported that movements within the ports were still possible. It also said that the locks were functioning normally. However, as of Tuesday evening, reports indicated that 63 vessels were unable to enter or depart from Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge. A total of 22 ships were trapped in Antwerp, while 27 were waiting to enter the port.
Picket lines also formed at Wallonia, targeting strategic locks and bridges. As a result, up to 100 inland cargo ships that normally move on the river system were also brought to a standstill.
The unions said that Wednesday would be the “most disruptive” day of the strikes. They said wider blockades of industrial zones, logistics hubs and transport infrastructure were anticipated. They expected the ports to remain closed, along with a stop on all inland waterways.
Port officials warned that a backlog is quickly developing, which is also impacting supply chains and logistics. They said it could take several days to resume full operations and that the impact will not ease quickly.
Read more in an article from The Maritime Executive.