News - Severe congestion warning for major European ports in summer, high risk of logistics delays

Current congestion situation and core issues:

Major ports in Europe (Antwerp, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Hamburg, Southampton, Genoa, etc.) are experiencing severe congestion.

The main reason is the surge in imported goods from Asia and the combination of summer vacation factors.

Specific manifestations include significantly prolonged vessel berthing delays, extremely high or saturated utilization of terminal yards, shortages of refrigerated and dry container equipment (especially in the port of Le Havre), and operational disruptions in some ports (such as Antwerp and Genoa).

The situation at Genoa Port is particularly severe, facing multiple problems such as railway interruptions, driver shortages, warehouse closures, and overbooking of berths.

Industry response measures:

Shipping companies actively adjust their strategies to alleviate pressure:

Adopting Omit Call: For example, Maersk AE11 service and several companies such as Hapag Lloyd have temporarily cancelled the heavily congested port of Genoa and switched to nearby ports (such as Valladoligure).

Adjustment of shipping schedule and emergency measures: Hapag Lloyd has implemented specific time window adjustments for the Genoa route.

Route optimization: direct docking at Scandinavian ports.

Cargo diversion: Transport goods to ports that are relatively less congested or have lower utilization rates.

Future expectations and warnings:

Congestion will continue: Driven by strong import demand from Asia, congestion is expected to persist or even intensify in August and September.

Challenges persist in the long term: Market analysis suggests that the prospects for major European seaports are full of challenges, with high demand and limited progress in easing congestion indicating that pressure may continue until at least the fourth quarter of 2025.

Warning to shippers/freight forwarders: It is strongly recommended that all parties with plans to ship to Europe in the near future pay close attention to port dynamics and shipping company announcements, fully consider the serious delay and operational interruption risks that congestion may bring, and prepare contingency plans in advance to avoid losses.

Choose WAYOTA International Freight for More Secure and Efficient Cross-Border Logistics! We continue to monitor this case and will bring you the latest updates.