Oil Spill Shuts Key Access to Antwerp Port, Cleanup Under Way

An oil spill in the Deurganckdock at the port of Antwerp-Bruges has forced authorities to close a stretch of the River Scheldt to shipping, disrupting traffic at one of Europe’s busiest maritime hubs and raising concerns about environmental damage.

The spill occurred during a bunkering operation early on Friday, port authorities said, adding that the source of the leak had been stopped and the vessels directly involved were being contained as cleanup crews worked on site.

Despite the initial containment, oil spread overnight from the Deurganckdock into the Scheldt, prompting authorities to halt all vessel movements between buoy 80, near the