Belgian ports operating normally after attacks, Port of Dover steps up security

Security measures will be increased at the Port of Dover and other UK ports in the wake of bombings in Belgium today in which at least 26 people have been killed.

Ports in Belgium are operating normally, although flights and Eurostar services to country have been halted.

Specialist search dogs will be deployed to look for explosive devices at Dover and at London’s St Pancras train station, where the Eurostar service terminates, a spokesperson from the Home Office told press.

Inbound tourist vehicles at Dover will be subject to “enhanced” searches and the Border Force will have a heightened presence at Dover and at other specific ports, the office said.

Belgium’s major ports of Antwerp (pictured) and Zeebrugge confirmed to Splash that operations have not been affected by the threat of further terrorist attacks. Neither port has any plans to intensify security.

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

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