Ports in Northern Europe are facing their worst crisis since the pandemic. Key gateways like Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven are overwhelmed with congestion and delays. As of June 13, 2025, the situation remains critical, and it is expected to persist well into the summer.
Several problems are stacking up at once. Strikes, rail closures, carrier alliance shifts, and low inland water levels have combined and created a chain reaction of problems.
Maersk announced it will skip Rotterdam altogether on its TA5 service starting June 25. Antwerp officials are describing the current situation as “the worst since COVID”. Container dwell times now exceed eight days, and terminals are full.
At Rotterdam, strikes at APM Terminals and barge delays of up to 56 hours are causing severe delays. Low water levels on the Rhine River are hampering barge transport while rail closures and construction projects are creating additional bottlenecks.
Ocean carriers are consequently rerouting vessels, omitting congested ports, and adding congestion surcharges. Terminals have also limited empty container returns and implemented emergency measures such as berth priorities and tightened export delivery windows.
The delays are expected to last through August, with ripple effects spreading across global supply chains already strained by rising tensions in the Middle East and the U.S.-China trade standoff.
Source: Port Technology
