by Manal barakat, SeaNewsEditor

The summer holiday season and a surge in inbound cargo from Asia have recently been causing significant issues in European ports.

Key container terminals, such as Antwerp, Le Havre, and Rotterdam, are experiencing congestion, including increased yard utilisation and extended waiting times.

Current situation

Kuhene+Nagel reports a challenging situation in Le Havre Port, France, particularly a shortage of reefer and dry containers. Truckers are sometimes informed at the terminal at the last minute that equipment is unavailable for booked shipments.

Furthermore, Danish carrier Maersk reported moderate disruptions across terminals in its recent market update, particularly in Antwerp.

Liner Hapag-Lloyd reports that PSA terminals in Antwerp are experiencing high yard utilisation, with levels ranging from 65% to 92%, while reefer utilisation is between 45% and 65%.

In Rotterdam, terminals are also under pressure, with the yard utilisation of the ECT Terminal reaching 75%, RWG Terminal at 85% and APMT MVII at 95%.

In the UK, Southampton's yard utilisation stands at 90-95%, with reefers at 60-65%, and London Gateway is at 50-55%, with reefers at 35-40%.

Hamburg's CTA terminal is stable but elevated at 75-80%, and CTH is at 85-90%, though operations are not yet impacted. Bremerhaven's NTB terminal is at 80-85%, and Wilhelmshaven's CTW is stable at 65-70%.

However, Hamburg Port will be facing rail issues during August and October, caused by full closures and railway maintenance projects.

Logistics experts highlight that congestion will remain during August and September, citing strong import demand from Asia. The peak summer season could exacerbate the pressure on many ports.

Carrier readjustment plans

According to a report by the Journal of Commerce, carriers are adjusting strategies to ease bottlenecks, including direct calls to Scandinavian ports and diverting volumes to less-utilised terminals.

Maersk informed customers that the AE11 service will temporarily omit the Port of Genoa and divert to nearby Vado Ligure throughout August and September.

In addition, from 19 August to 23 September, Hapag-Lloyd will implement several contingency measures and schedule adjustments for vessels calling Genoa.

Market analysts believe the outlook for several maritime gateways in Europe remains challenging, with persistent high demand and limited progress in clearing congestion.

Stefan Verberckmoes, senior shipping analyst at Alphaliner, described the situation as a "hot summer with code red for European container terminals," indicating that the sector will remain under pressure until at least the year's final quarter.

For the latest port and vessel statuses or situation updates, please refer to the seaexplorer alert map.