Pilot Strike Strands Dozens of Ships at Port of Antwerp

A 24-hour strike by Belgian maritime pilots has caused major disruption at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, leaving dozens of ships stranded waiting to enter or leave one of Europe’s busiest ports. The industrial action, organized by the ACOD union, began at 08:00 on Friday, June 5, and ended on Saturday, June 6, but a significant backlog of vessels remains.

Context & Background

Maritime pilots are highly specialized professionals who board incoming and outgoing ships to guide them safely through the challenging waterways of the Scheldt River and approaches to Belgian ports. Without pilots, virtually no maritime traffic can move. The strike stems from an ongoing dispute over federal pension reforms that unions say could reduce pilots’ retirement benefits by up to 25 percent, according to calculations cited by Gazet van Antwerpen.

This is the latest in a series of industrial actions by Belgian maritime workers that have been ongoing since late 2025. The pilots and traffic controllers have been negotiating for more than a year over a reorganization of their professional statute, with no resolution in sight.

Key Developments

According to VRT NWS, nearly 40 ships were waiting for Antwerp by Friday evening, with the majority held on the North Sea or the Scheldt River. At Zeebrugge, at least 12 inbound and outbound vessels were without planning. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges reported that 10 outbound vessels were impacted — three delayed and seven unscheduled — while 11 inbound vessels were affected, with three delayed and eight awaiting scheduling.

“There is a significant shortage of Belgian sea pilots on Friday,” a port spokesperson told Transport Online, which reported the story via ANP/BELGA.

Schuttevaer reported that the strike affected both incoming and outgoing vessels, with the disruption described as significant for the Antwerp-Bruges port complex. The Fresh Plaza report, citing the Port of Antwerp-Bruges press office, noted that pilotage services were expected to operate only between 08:00 and 17:00 on Friday, and that further delays could not be ruled out as the day’s schedule was already fully booked.

“The pilots’ strike is over. But dozens of ships are still waiting to enter or leave the Port of Antwerp,” Sandra Cardoen of VRT NWS reported on Saturday morning.

Analysis & Implications

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is Europe’s second-largest container port and a critical node in global supply chains, handling a vast range of goods including chemicals, automotive parts, consumer goods, and perishable food products. Disruptions at Antwerp cascade across the entire European logistics network, affecting road freight, rail, and barge transport.

The impact of previous pilot strikes has been severe enough that the Port of Antwerp could see the effects reflected in its annual financial results. The March 2026 strikes stranded over 90 vessels and caused cascading delays across European supply chains, with barge wait times at Antwerp reaching 75 hours. The current strike compounds existing pressures on European ports, including congestion at Rotterdam, Hamburg, and other major hubs.

“Earlier this year and last year there were already several strike waves from the pilots. They have been negotiating for some time about a reorganization of the professional statute. That causes tensions, and those are not over after this strike either, they emphasize,” VRT NWS reported.

The broader context includes significant labour unrest across Belgium in 2026. The March 12 national strike saw coordinated action across airports, railways, public transport, and ports, with Belgium’s three main union confederations united in opposition to the government’s pension reform agenda.

ship.energy also covered the 24-hour strike, noting the disruption to one of Europe’s most critical maritime hubs.

What’s Next

While the strike ended on June 6, clearing the backlog of dozens of waiting ships will take additional time. The underlying dispute over pension reform remains unresolved, and pilots have emphasized that tensions persist. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges also recently announced the appointment of a new CEO, Rob Smeets, on June 5, though it remains to be seen whether this signals any change in the port management’s approach to labour relations.

With negotiations deadlocked and multiple strike waves having occurred since late 2025, further industrial action cannot be ruled out. The situation continues to be closely monitored by shippers, freight operators, and logistics companies across Europe who depend on the smooth operation of this critical trade gateway.