A wave of strikes is paralysing Europe’s freight corridors, with major disruptions reported at the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Zeebrugge, as well as in Belgium’s air freight sector. Dockworkers, pilots and ground staff are all staging industrial action over pay and pension disputes, threatening to ripple through European supply chains in the coming days.
The union FNV Havens confirmed that negotiations with International Lashing Service (ILS) and Matrans Marine Services ended without agreement. All major container terminals, including APM Maasvlakte II, ECT Delta, RWG and Euromax, are affected.
According to the port authority, more than 18 ships are currently waiting off the coast. The union is demanding a 7% pay rise and automatic inflation adjustment.
“Less than one euro per container would be enough to solve the conflict,” said FNV board member Niek Stam.
While sea ports continue to face delays, Belgium is bracing for another logistics shutdown. Freight forwarder DSV has warned that all Belgian trade unions plan to hold a 24-hour national strike from 6:00 a.m. on 14 October until 6:00 a.m. on 15 October, targeting the air freight sector.
Ground handling, security and customs staff are expected to join the walkout, affecting particularly Brussels (BRU) and Liège (LGG) airports. DSV said in a customer notice that outbound cargo flights will be cancelled and incoming shipments delayed or diverted. Access roads to both airports are also expected to be “severely impacted”.
Brussels Airport confirmed that staff from its main security provider will participate, making “safe operations impossible”.
Industry sources predict that express and e-commerce shipments will be rerouted through Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Paris or Amsterdam to maintain service continuity.
The Belgian Chamber of Commerce has warned of “secondary effects” across supply chains in Germany, France and Eastern Europe, as both the Rotterdam and Antwerp port authorities struggle to manage vessel backlogs.
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder has urged pilots to resume talks, noting that an agreement in principle was originally planned for around 30 November. For now, however, the strike continues without a clear end in sight.
Below is an overview of the ongoing and upcoming strikes affecting Europe’s main logistics hubs:
