For the fourth consecutive day, river and maritime pilots in Belgium are disrupting services in protest of pension reforms, causing significant delays at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Pilots, represented by the Beroepsvereniging van Loodsen, are only working during office hours, leaving 110 ships waiting as of Wednesday morning, according to port authorities.
The Flemish Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services estimates the disruption impacts over 60 vessels.
Negotiations between the pilots and policymakers have stalled, with both sides waiting for the other to restart talks.
Although an agreement had been expected by the end of next month, pilots have expressed doubt about reaching a resolution.
The pilots have been protesting for months, criticising the Federal Government’s pension reforms. They argue their second pension pillar is treated unfairly compared to other sectors, and fear reductions in their pensions.
High pensions could see cuts from €2,400 to €1,900 due to non-indexation, according to their estimates.
The socialist union ACOD has calculated that by early 2025, the De Wever government’s measures would result in a 45% decrease in pensions for younger maritime and river pilots compared to their older counterparts.
A tentative agreement was reached over the summer, but it only reaffirmed past deals. A final agreement was anticipated after summer but remains elusive.
Johan Klaps, Antwerp’s councillor for ports, has voiced concerns about the impact on the industry and the reputation of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. He noted that delays are already affecting container terminals.
