Oil deliveries were disrupted by Antwerp port congestion following a pilots’ strike, analysts said

Oil deliveries were disrupted by congestion at Belgium’s Port of Antwerp-Bruges following a port pilots’ strike, analysts said, and port authorities counted up to 188 vessels still waiting to dock or depart.

Analysts said oil shipments and other cargo flows were still disrupted even though Flemish sea pilots, who play a crucial role in navigating ships through crowded or dangerous waters, temporarily suspended a strike that began on October 5 in protest against federal pension reform.

The backlog has forced shipping companies to reroute or delay cargo, straining supply chains.

S&P Global Commodity Insights quoted market players as saying the strikes had slowed arrivals to Europe, with Antwerp a major dumping location for jet fuel and diesel.
On Wednesday, the logistics chain in Antwerp was operating at around 70% of normal capacity, as a nationwide strike the day before caused further disruption, the port authority said.

The pilots’ union on Wednesday agreed to postpone the strike until October 24, but ongoing slow action is hampering the resumption of traffic, the port authority said, adding that it was expected to continue until Sunday.

As of Wednesday evening, 128 ships were waiting to enter port, and 60 were still queuing for departure. Towing services are fully operational, and all locks and bridges are functional, but clearing the backlog is expected to take several days, the port said.

Zeebrugge, part of the same port complex, experienced more limited disruption, and delays were expected to be resolved by the afternoon.
Source: Reuters