Port of Antwerp hit by strike action

Several workers at the port of Antwerp started a 24-hour strike from 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT) today.

PHOTO: Huge container ship being unloaded with cranes at a container terminal in Antwerp, Belgium. Getty Images

There are concerns that the strike could disrupt vessel movements and cargo handling in the port, sources say. Container shipping firm A.P. Moller – Maersk is also bracing for an impact from the strike.

“While the industrial action is expected to pose challenges for operations, our teams are actively working on contingency planning to minimise delays to your supply chain, including changes to the vessel line-up,” according to a statement on the company’s website.

Maersk has also cautioned against potential strike action from tugboat workers in Antwerp.

Several ports in Europe, including the UK's Liverpool and Felixstowe, have faced strike actions and hampered port operations in the past few months.

By Shilpa Sharma

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