Antwerp (Port)

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Maritime traffic suspended due to 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.

Hydrogen-powered tug is world first for Port of Antwerp

Port of Antwerp has ordered construction of a tug powered by hydrogen, the first in the world. This unique “Hydrotug” is driven by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with diesel. The motors also comply with the very strictest standard, the EU Stage V, making them the lowest-rated for emissions on the market. This ultra-low-emission tug is being built by Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB), a pioneer in the field of hydrogen power for shipping. With this world first Antwerp is making an important step in the transition to a sustainable, CO2-neutral port. By lending support to this promising technology Port of Antwerp hopes that the shipping industry will follow. The port is systematically pursuing a policy of making its entire fleet eco-friendly by incorporating the most environment-friendly technologies available on the market.

ECOSUBSEA achieves requirements to offer sustainable hull cleaning in the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge

ECOsubsea, the Norwegian cleantech firm with a unique hull cleaning technology has won contracts to clean in North European ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge thanks to the technology’s ability to remove all hull fouling from the water, the company said in its release. The technologically-advanced system has now been approved for use in the two North European ports following around 500 vessel cleanings in Southampton and Norway and its proven ability to meet strict environmental requirements. While hull cleaning is an important part of vessel efficiency it has become mired in controversy due to the high risk of invasive species being easily transferred across the oceans and becoming an environmental and economic hazard.