Update: 17.04.2026

The latest oil spill update issued by the Port of Antwerp on 16 April mentioned that the North Sea Terminal and the Europa Terminal have been fully cleared for use. 

Port authorities added that the terminals in the Deurganckdok are operational.

Meanwhile, quay walls and ships are still being cleaned on part of the western side. Similarly, inland vessels are still being cleaned at the Galgenschoor inland waterway jetty.

For the latest port and vessel statuses or situation updates, please refer to the seaexplorer alert map.

Update: 13.04.2026

According to the recent Port of Antwerp update, published on 13 April, the Kieldrecht Lock has been partially reopened after efforts to contain the Friday oil spill incident.

The port adds that the Zandvliet and Berendrecht Locks are also available, with a number of berths at the Deurganck Dock operational again.

"The soiled container ships in the dock are being cleaned," says the port, while the "remaining cleaning work at terminals on both banks, on ships, at the Galgenschoor and at the Lillo jetty" continues.

The port expects a few more days of work to complete clean-up operations.

Original article: 10.04.2026

Shipping traffic at the Port of Antwerp was suspended after an oil leak halted vessel movements on the River Scheldt.

The incident disrupted both inbound and outbound traffic, preventing ships from entering or leaving the port while emergency teams responded to the spill.

The leak occurred during a bunkering operation involving the container ship MSC Denmark VI in the Deurganckdock.

Despite initial containment measures, oil spread from the Deurganckdock into the river, leading to the closure of a stretch of the river, impacting the entrance to the dock.

Other access points, including the Zandvliet and Berendrecht locks, were also closed after oil slicks were detected.

As a result of these measures, the port became inaccessible via the Scheldt, significantly affecting both deep-sea shipping and inland navigation.

Several vessels were impacted, including ships at the Europaterminal, inland barges in the vicinity of the Galgenschoor nature area, and at least one tugboat.

“The impact is significant and it is unclear how long this will last,” the port authority stated on Friday, adding: “We are doing everything possible to minimise both operational and ecological damage.”

Authorities noted that navigation will resume only once conditions are considered safe.