A series of strikes sweeping across Northern Europe is severely disrupting freight and worsening congestion at three of the region’s busiest ports.

Ongoing industrial action in Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Zeebrugge has curtailed port operations, straining already fragile supply chains and adding to the congestion issues that have plagued European shipping throughout the year.

In Belgium, industrial action has brought two major ports to a standstill. Operations at Antwerp and Zeebrugge were halted on the evening of October 13th as part of a nationwide strike over pension reforms and are expected to restart on October 15th.

The shutdown follows several days of work-to-rule measures by marine pilots, who have restricted their hours to 08:00–17:00, forcing vessels requiring pilotage to wait for entry and further compounding congestion.

Across the border in Rotterdam, dockworkers launched a strike on October 8th amid a dispute over pay and working conditions. Although a court order forced a temporary return to work on October 13th, the walkout could legally resume at 7:00 am on October 17th if ongoing negotiations fail. Vessel movements and cargo handling have been “severely disrupted” during the past week.

Rotterdam and Antwerp are key hubs and already rank among Europe’s most congested ports this year. The latest wave of strikes is expected to intensify congestion and delays, and will likely add to further disruption to schedules.

Unique Forwarding is actively monitoring the ongoing situation. For any assistance with supply chain strategy or planning, please contact our team for tailored support.