General strike impact on shipping

31 Mar 2025 / Belgium

Due to Flemish pilots joining the general strike called for today (31 March) in Belgium, no vessels operated for the Flemish service last night.

In Zeebrugge, vessel traffic requiring a pilot has come to a halt due to the maximum rest period for coastal pilots since yesterday evening and the lack of planning support (Lodico) from 7am today until at least 7pm.

Meanwhile, according to the latest reports:
- the Pierre Van Damme lock is operating normally and traffic that does not require or is exempted a pilot can proceed for now.
- tender swaths in Ostend are not operating
- the pilot station Wandelaar is operational
- SPN vessels in Ostend are not operating
- the pilot service in Vlissingen is not operating
- pilot transport in Antwerp will not depart until 20:00 this evening

The following locks are in service after re-staffing:
- Berendrecht Lock: sea vessels and inland vessels
- Van Cauwelaert Lock: inland vessels
- Kallo Lock: inland vessels

Kieldrecht, Boudewijn and Zandvliet locks are out of service.

For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Belgium, contact GAC Belgium at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.