Major oil spill halts operations at Belgium's Port of Antwerp

Shipping traffic at Belgium's Port of Antwerp has been brought to a complete standstill after an oil spill from a vessel during bunkering operations, the Belga News Agency reported on Friday.

Authorities said in a statement that the incident occurred on Thursday at the Deurganck Dock, involving the container ship MSC Denmark VI.

The leak has since been contained, but a significant quantity of oil has entered both the Scheldt River and the dock area.

As a result, all vessel movements have been suspended until further notice, with no ships currently allowed to enter or leave the port.

The port authority warned that the duration of the disruption remains uncertain.

An aircraft has been deployed to assess the extent of the spill, while response teams continue containment and cleanup efforts.

Officials also cautioned that there is a potential risk of environmental impact on nearby protected nature areas.

"The impact is significant and it is unclear how long this will last... We are doing everything possible to minimize both operational and ecological damage," the port said.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the second-largest port in Europe, handles approximately 290 million tons of cargo annually and connects to more than 800 destinations worldwide.