According to foreign reports, on June 25th local time, nearly 50 ships were delayed outside the port of Antwerp as the pilots in Antwerp participated in a nationwide strike.

As part of the national strike action in Belgium, pilotage services were suspended, and a spokesperson for the Antwerp-Bruges port stated that this interruption could cost the port millions of dollars.

In the morning, 12 departing ships and 16 arriving ships were waiting. By midday, this number had risen to nearly 50 ships, causing significant delays in cargo operations.

Zhongjin understands that the pilot strike action is expected to end on Thursday morning, but the port authority has warned that it might take another two days to clear the backlog of goods. The spokesperson noted, "Even once operations resume, it will take at least a day or two to catch up."

The overall impact of the fourth strike event at the port of Antwerp in recent weeks is still unclear, but it is estimated that if similar to previous strike days, it could result in millions of dollars in losses.

Organized by Belgian labor unions, this nationwide strike is in protest against government policies. Despite the announced strike date, there is still uncertainty about the scale of the strike at the port.

Currently, the port of Antwerp remains heavily congested, with ships averaging a waiting time of about 1.64 days over the past 7 days. High yard utilization is affecting operational efficiency, and the refurbishment plan for cranes is ongoing, with two units expected to remain out of service for the year.

Considering this strike, it is expected that the port will further descend into chaos, potentially exacerbating existing challenges faced by freight transportation and operational efficiency.