Port operations at Rotterdam and Antwerp are facing major disruptions due to labor strikes this week, compounding congestion and delays across Europe’s busiest gateways.

• In Belgium, Flemish pilotage services are only working limited hours amid a pension reform dispute, causing vessel delays in Antwerp and Zeebrugge.

• In Rotterdam, container lashing workers launched a 48-hour strike over pay and working conditions, impacting all major terminals including APM Maasvlakte II, ECT Delta, and Rotterdam World Gateway. Carriers report significant slowdowns in both vessel handling and inland transport.

• These disruptions follow recent storm-related closures, further straining port operations and schedule reliability on the Asia–Europe trade lane.

Overall, the strikes and congestion are adding to existing operational challenges on the Asia–Europe corridor, where reliability remains near record lows across all major carrier alliances.