Shipowners Protection Fund

Shipowners Protection Fund (SOPF) is a non-profit making association, set up in 1947 - a common initiative of the Antwerp Shipping Federation (ASF) en the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (RBSA).  The purpose of this association is to compensate for the damages which owners and/or time-charterers have suffered in the case their vessel(s) calling at Antwerp, are suffering delay by a strike of puntuality action of either longshoremen, port staff (e.g. staff operating locks), pilots or other auxiliary services intervening in a vessel's port call.

For this purpose a Fund has been set up which is supplied by the contributions of the participating owners an time-charterers for eacht of their vessels calling at the Port of Antwerp, and the returns of the capital in this fund which is carefully invested.

Every member of the ASF and of the RBSA can become a member of SOPF.

The contribution to be paid by shipowners and time-charterers per ships's call in the port of Antwerp varies according to the tonnage of the vessel. 

SOPF resides at Brouwersvliet 33, box 6 in 2000 Antwerp, tel: +32(0)3/206.73.85 or info@sopf.be