Brussels bombs: ports maintain resilience

Belgium’s Organisation for Threat Coordination and Analysis has raised the terror threat level to four, the highest level. “The general level in Belgium is brought to four, especially for international train stations, subways, airports, nuclear installations and the port of Antwerp,” Belgium’s federal crisis centre said in a tweet.

But Belgian ports remain determined its business as usual, highlighting the ports’ ongoing security measures that have been in operation since 9/11.

Whilst flights and Eurostar services to the country have been suspended, Belgian ports are operating normally with both the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge confirming that they have no plans to intensify security.

A spokesperson for the Port of Antwerp told Splash news agency: “For the time being operations are still going on. We have no indications that we should do anything. The port has had very strong security measures in place since 9/11, like many major ports.”

That sentiment is echoed at the Port of Zeebrugge. “Our port is always under security both from the port authority and the terminals, and the security situation has not changed,” commented a Zeebrugge spokesperson.

Elsewhere the response is more cautious. In the UK, the Port of Dover enters its second day of heightened security. Specialist search dogs are on patrol at the port and enhanced searching of inbound vehicles will take place.

The presence of Border Force officers has also been increased with the Home Office reporting that steps are being taken to intensify control at the UK-Belgian and UK-France borders.

These steps include:

• Enhanced searching of inbound tourist vehicles, additional opening of car boots / transit vans
• Heightened Border Force presence at ports
• Targeted Border Force presence at specific ports, with additional security checks on some flights
• Specialist search dogs deployed at key terminals including St Pancras and Dover

Outside Europe, ports and transport officials are also on high alert. The New York Police Department and Port Authority Police Department stepped up security across the region as intelligence officials look to understand the nature of the threat that led to the attacks in Brussels.

As a temporary measure, the Port Authority Police Department is increasing security at key terminals as well as conducting extra bag checks on Port Authority trains.