Posted on October 13, 2025
Around 91 ships were waiting on Sunday morning to enter or leave the ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, or Ghent due to an ongoing strike by maritime pilots that began last week.
The strike, led by the Pilots’ Professional Association (BvL), stems from a dispute over pension reforms. Months ago, pilots reached a provisional agreement with the federal government on pensions, but both sides now interpret the agreement differently.
The BvL claims the government has failed to honour the agreement. According to the association, “everything was going well until last week,” when it became clear that no budget had been allocated to implement the pension arrangement.
Pilots say they feel singled out compared to other professions in the maritime sector. They warn that the lack of pension indexation could reduce their higher pensions from €2,400 to €1,900. They are also frustrated by the unequal treatment of the second pillar of their pension scheme compared to other workers.
Francis Baetens, chairman of the BvL, highlighted another concern: Flemish candidates are increasingly opting to work in the Dutch pilotage system, which offers better pay, pensions, and a mandatory retirement age of 60. “The Flemish government even subsidises the Dutch pilotage for ships they guide in Flemish ports,” he added.
Baetens also pointed to a 2 June agreement between the Flemish ministers Annick De Ridder and Jan Jambon and the pilots’ representatives. “After months of intensive collaboration with Minister De Ridder’s office, the government unexpectedly refused on 30 September to finalise the necessary preparations. This negligence directly violates the earlier agreement,” Baetens stated.
Since 5 October, the three professional associations (AvK, BvL, and OVL) and three unions (ACOD, ACV, and VSOA) have been conducting coordinated efficiency actions, causing significant delays in port operations.
“We are willing to suspend our actions if the Flemish and federal governments commit to honouring the June 2 agreement and allocate the required budget,” Baetens concluded.
