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Ongoing congestion at major West European ports continues to affect scheduled container services. Maersk has announced that its TA5 service, operating between Europe and the United States, will omit the Port of Rotterdam from 25 June due to “operational limitations” at the terminals. Other carriers are also adjusting schedules. MSC, for example, has issued revised transit times—so-called “slidings”—for its Britannia and Lion services, both of which call at Rotterdam, with the Lion service also calling at Antwerp.

Antwerp is currently experiencing particularly acute congestion. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the terminals are nearly full, with port capacity reaching “critical” levels. Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, compared the current situation to the COVID-19 period, noting: “Back then, the cause was clear. Now, it’s a combination of factors- and no one knows how long it will last.”

The causes of the congestion are varied and interlinked. Recent weeks have seen low water levels on the Rhine, strong growth in container trade between the U.S. and China following a temporary suspension of tariffs, and ongoing carrier network restructuring, all contributing to increased pressure on port operations.

The Port of Rotterdam acknowledged the increased pressure but described the situation as “under control,” with limited vessel waiting times. Nonetheless, the disruptions are impacting service reliability and leading to additional costs. These are ultimately passed on to freight forwarders, shippers, and end consumers. Earlier this year, several shipping lines also removed Rotterdam from their rotations, prompting concern among European forwarders.

CLECAT continues to monitor the situation and its implications for European logistics, emphasising the need for transparent communication from carriers and coordination with terminal operators to mitigate the effects of ongoing congestion.

Source Nieuwsblad Transport