Russia sanctions: Overcrowded parking lots with new cars in port

The parking lot at car dealer ICO, for example, is packed. There are three European lines to Russia, but they have been shut down for security reasons and because the shipping companies fear the payment. For example, a traffic of 120,000 cars to and from Russia will be lost. Marc Adriansens (ICO): “In addition, these are cars worth more than 50,000 euros. They are seen as luxury goods and may therefore not be shipped to Russia.”

ICO takes action. “We have now said that we are full for the time being. We are not going to stock more than 8,000, maybe 10,000 cars here. Because we don’t know when they will go away, and we need our sites for our regular traffic. We cannot fill everything with blocked cars.”

Customs is already blocking 1,100 containers on the quay, so container companies also have to look for storage space.

Russian ships are no longer allowed to enter European ports, but gas and oil from Russia will still come to Zeebrugge. “It is important that oil and gas are not covered. We import a lot of Russian gas. That is not covered by the sanctions, and can continue. There is not much change there.”

Meanwhile, the affected companies are looking for alternative destinations in China or Scandinavia.