Strikes, realignment among container carriers and escalating geopolitical pressures have all contributed to worsening congestion at northern European ports since the start of the year. The situation has deteriorated particularly in Rotterdam since 4 June 2025, following a strike by workers at the Apm terminal in Maasvlakte II, which has virtually shut down operations. Waiting times for berthing have exceeded eighty hours, with some vessels queuing for up to ten days before being handled. The situation has become so severe that Maersk announced it would drop the Dutch port from its TA5 service from 25 June, routing vessels directly from Felixstowe to Hamburg.
The port of Antwerp-Bruges is also under significant strain, with container ships facing delays of up to 55 hours, while terminal utilisation has reached 96% of capacity. Container dwell times have exceeded eight days, leading to a critical build-up in yard storage. The Belgian port has been particularly affected by the new Gemini alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, which has adopted a hub-and-spoke model, increasing the fragmentation of cargo arrivals.
The congestion in Dutch and Belgian ports is having a knock-on effect on German ports. Hamburg has seen a 49% increase in waiting times, now averaging 65 hours, while Bremerhaven has recorded the most significant rise—77%—with vessels waiting up to 60 hours. A planned railway closure from 4 to 8 July, due to motorway construction works, will worsen the situation further by cutting off all rail access to Hamburg’s terminals. Port authorities estimate that between 13,500 and 20,000 TEU of imports and up to 15,000 TEU of exports will be affected during this period, shifting the burden to road transport, which is already under strain and facing further bottlenecks.
Europe’s port crisis is part of a wider global phenomenon, with 96% of the world’s container terminals reportedly experiencing severe operational challenges. Singapore, Ningbo-Zhoushan and Cape Town are facing delays comparable to those in Europe, with wait times reaching—and in some cases exceeding—ten days. Shenzen has up to 50 ships waiting, Los Angeles 42 and New York 14, highlighting the systemic nature of the crisis.
Shipping lines have rolled out emergency strategies to cope with the disruption. In addition to Maersk’s decision to bypass Rotterdam, CMA CGM and MSC are rerouting traffic to less congested hubs. Terminals have introduced restrictions on the acceptance of empty containers to manage yard space more effectively, while emergency measures such as altering berthing priorities are being enforced. Port authorities have shortened export delivery windows and are considering 24/7 operations to accelerate container turnover.
Analysts predict that the congestion will persist well beyond August 2025, with some experts warning the disruption could last through to the end of the year. The combination of ongoing labour strikes, overstretched infrastructure and mounting pressure from the summer peak season paints a challenging picture with no immediate resolution in sight. On the inland front, the scheduled railway shutdowns in Germany in July will add further pressure to an already overloaded system.
