The Commercial Court of Brussels has facilitated a solution to allow for the release of a $200 million shipment of diamonds held at the Zaventem Airport after Brink's lost its license to operate the airport's vault, diamond industry news outlets report.

Brink's had its license revoked after it transferred the operation from its Cash In Transit company, which started bankruptcy proceedings on November 12, to its Global Services unit.

After the diamond shipment was stalled, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) – an umbrella organization for the Antwerp diamond trade – voiced concern that holding up diamond shipping would have "severe financial consequences" for the local diamond sector.

"By blocking shipments of rough diamonds the entire distribution chain is paralysed, from rough to polished… Antwerp cannot be held hostage in this conflict any longer," the AWDC stated in an open letter.

"The reputational damage to Antwerp as the world diamond trading centre [caused by the delayed shipment] is beyond estimation," the AWDC letter declared.