A 24-hour strike by Belgium's maritime pilots over pension reforms has disrupted shipping traffic at major ports.
The socialist trade union ACOD launched the industrial action at 08:00 on Friday.
The Maritime Services and Coast Agency (MDK) warned of immediate disruptions to ship movements depending on pilot availability.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges confirmed that the walkout had heavily impacted schedules.
"There is a significant shortage of Belgian maritime pilots on Friday. This could have consequences for shipping schedules and operational services," a port spokesperson said.
Officials stated that the strike is scheduled to last until 08:00 on Saturday morning.
Initial disruptions were felt immediately in Antwerp around midday. Ten outgoing vessels were affected, with three facing delays and seven left without a schedule.
Inbound traffic faced a similar situation, as three incoming ships were delayed and eight could not yet be scheduled.
The pilots have been negotiating a reorganisation of their professional status for more than a year.
Discontent over federal pension reforms regularly causes tensions in the sector, leading to multiple waves of strikes last year and earlier this year.
Last year's disruptions were severe enough to negatively impact the Port of Antwerp's total annual figures.
