Inchcape Shipping Services said dockers went on strike for 24 hours and will resume work at midnight.

The action was called by three national unions to protest against “the erosion of index-linked pay rises and tax increases,” it added.

The strike is said to be having a major effect at the ports of Zeebrugge, Ghent and Antwerp in particular.

ISS identifies a backlog of 65 ships waiting at anchorage outside Antwerp, with 12 more waiting to leave.

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