by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Container carrier Hapag-Lloyd has reported significant operational challenges and heavy congestion at the Genoa VTE terminal.

These issues have necessitated the implementation of several contingency measures and schedule adjustments, which will affect multiple vessels from 19 August to 23 September.

Kuehne+Nagel has highlighted several factors contributing to the disruptions in Italy.

These include rail disruptions, a shortage of drivers during the volume peak at the end of July and the first half of August, and a further shortage of drivers due to the holiday season in the second half of August.

Additionally, some warehouses mentioned they will not receive containers for two to three weeks this month. The overbooking of berthing windows at Genoa Port has exacerbated the situation.

The congestion at Genoa has particularly impacted the Gemini services, leading to a series of omissions of Genoa and La Spezia ports in favour of Vado Port.

This has resulted in additional mileage to and from Vado.

Furthermore, Kuehne+Nagel reports challenges caused by the shifting of drivers between the two ports, and the rigid booking process at APM Vado, which limits the number of gate-in/out operations.

Consequently, terminal and gate congestion have affected transportation to and from the ports, with trucks experiencing significant delays.

For more information about your shipment, do not hesitate to contact your local Kuehne+Nagel representative.