A national strike by Belgium's three main unions, over the government's austerity programme, is set to cost the Port of Antwerp some €1m an hour in lost 'added value', the port said.
According to Business Week, most terminals at the port have been closed, while vessel traffic has faced disruption as dockers stopped working.
Annik Dirkx, a spokeswoman for the port, commented: 'The Port of Antwerp regrets that a strike that is not opposed to the port is affecting the port this much. Besides the financial loss, there is also, even more important, the damage that is caused to our reputation on an international level as a fast, reliable and efficient port.'
Strikes have also hit Belgian public transport, with domestic and international rail services brought to a halt, and some flights from Brussels facing cancellation.
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