Belgian farmers’ protests cause disruption at Antwerp port

FILE PHOTO: Containers are seen stacked up on the container ship CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin at the port of Antwerp, Belgium September 23, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman//File Photo
Operations at the port of Antwerp were seriously affected as hundreds of farmers on tractors blocked roads demanding better wages and working conditions. This protest adds to a series of actions by angry farmers across Europe, disrupting supply chains and costing companies millions of euros. The situation is a matter of great concern.
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Hundreds of farmers on tractors blocked roads around the port of Antwerp, disrupting operations and demanding better wages and working conditions. The protest is part of a series of similar actions by farmers in several European countries, who also want looser environmental regulations and better protection against cheap imports. The disruption is costing companies operating in the port millions of euros and adding to existing problems caused by attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

According to Stephan Van Fraechem, director of the association of port companies Alfaport VOKA, no freight can be delivered or picked up, and employees are facing long waits to enter the port. Delays in cargo processing and disrupted supply chains are causing significant concern. The disruption has led to long queues of trucks, and a port spokesman confirmed that roads were blocked in various places. In France, protests in the agricultural sector could also resume if the government fails to meet the demands for better pay and working conditions.

The protests in the port of Antwerp have severely affected operations, causing disruptions and long queues of trucks. The farmers’ demands for better wages, working conditions, and environmental regulations have led to significant financial losses for companies operating in the port. The situation is of great concern, especially as it adds to existing problems caused by attacks on ships in the Red Sea. In France, protests could also resume if the government does not address the agricultural sector’s demands for better pay and working conditions.

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