Zeebrugge (Hafen)

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Maritime traffic affected by strike

Maritime traffic at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges has been suspended until Octt15, 2025, after the Flemish pilots joined a nationwide strike over federal pension and labour market reforms. The national day of action, declared by trade unions, has halted both seagoing and inland navigation to and from Antwerp since the evening of Oct 13. Due to the actions at the Zandvliet Traffic Control Center, which oversees and coordinates vessel movements in and out of the Port of Antwerp, the traffic has been suspended from Oct 13 at 7:30 p.m. until Oct 15 at 07:30 a.m. Coordination with inbound vessels began on Oct 13 at 1:00p.m. to prepare for the planned suspension, gradually bringing traffic to a halt by 7:30 p.mn. Departure clearances were adjusted in line with the action. During the suspension, no seagoing or inland vessels are allowed to pass through the locks towards the Scheldt River. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges towing service was operating at 50% capacity. Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and passage planning continued to operate at full capacity. All locks and bridges were functioning normally, with the exception of the Kallo Lock and the Zandvliet Lock, which were temporarily out of service. There were currently 83 inbound and 49 outbound vessels registered. In Zeebrugge, maritime traffic was still possible. However, the pilotage service was not operational, and tender operations with the SWATH vessels have been suspended until Oct 15 at 09:30. a.m. As a result, pilotage was temporarily unavailable. The Vessel Traffic Center Zeebrugge remained fully operational, but large LNG shipping was suspended. Inbound and outbound traffic, shifting operations, and lock usage remained possible for exempted vessels. Regarding congestion, there were currently seven inbound and four outbound vessels registered- The Port of Antwerp has faced growing operational challenges since Oct 5, when the Flemish pilots began work-to-rule actions in protest against the federal government’s proposed pension reforms. The measures limited pilotage to office hours with mandatory rest (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and ships were staffed only between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. These restrictions caused growing vessel delays and congestion, with 93 ships lacking confirmed schedules and nearly 20 facing significant delays by Oct 13.

Police ended Greenpeace blockade

On Oct 2, the Belgian police ended the blockade by Greenpeace protestors of the Zeebrugge LNG terminal. The activists have been removed and arrested after 29 hours while its sailboat was moved to a dock in the port, and the flow of LNG carriers has resumed. 70 Greenpeace activists took to the harbour on Oct 1 in a flotilla of small boats, kayaks, and inflatables surrounding the Greenpeace sailing vessel 'Witness'. They had timed the protest and hidden at various points around the port, so that it began just after an LNG carrier departed the terminal operated by Fluxys. The group included a large inflatable with images of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump and a large banner reading “They love gas, you pay the price.” It was timed to the ongoing talks regarding the EU’s 19th sanction package against Russia, which calls for an end to Russian gas imports. Greenpeace, however, is also calling for an end to U.S. LNG imports, saying Europe must halt all supply contracts for fossil gas with a phase-out by 2035. A police boat was standing by near the protest on Oct 1, but initially took no action. After about 24 hours, Greenpeace said more than 40 protestors were still blocking the terminal, including with their kayaks and inflatable boats. They were determined to stay despite cold temperatures, humidity, and lack of sleep. The 'Witness' was positioned in the inner harbor, blocking the entry to the terminal. It took the police a couple of hours to terminate the blockade.

Greenpeace blocked LNG terminal in protest against Russian and US imports

Greenpeace activists blocked the LNG import terminal in Zeebrugge on Oct 1, 2025. The blockade was targeted against LNG being imported from Russia as well as the United States. During the protest, around 70 people from 17 different countries took to the water in kayaks and small craft, blocking the vessels from entering the terminal. The protesters managed to temporarily halt entry into the terminal before being removed. Images from the scene show inflatable mock-ups resembling U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Greenpeace Belgium was urging the EU and national governments to include a ban on Russian LNG in the bloc’s 19th sanctions package, with the goal of ending imports entirely.