Belgium's total transport system expected to be strike-bound today
A 24-HOUR national strike in the ports of Belgium today - Monday, December 15 - is expected to shut down movement of ocean, rail, road and air freight throughout the country, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce.
The strike is expected to close the ports of Zeebrugge and Ghent, is part of a month-long series of walkouts to protest austerity measures by the new conservative government to cut public debt.
Antwerp was hit by a 24-hour dockers' strike on November 24 that prevented 50 ships entering or leaving Europe's third largest container port.
Some terminals are expected to remain open over the weekend to allow transport companies to move cargo ahead of Monday's shut down.