Container port congestion spreads from Europe to the US and China

Port of Hamburg (Photo: Hafen Hamburg Marketing)

Port congestion at major transport hubs in Northern Europe is getting worse and has now spread to China and the US. The situation is expected to worsen due to Donald Trump’s inconsistent tariff strategy.

Complicating the situation, low water levels on the Rhine are limiting barge capacity, especially from the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, putting further pressure on inland logistics systems.

Key maritime gateways such as Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Bremerhaven are currently grappling with increasing cargo congestion, as container ships continue to face delays. At the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, operations were further strained by a nationwide strike that began on May 20.

The problem is not limited to Europe. Drewry said similar developments are occurring in Shenzhen, China, Los Angeles and New York, the United States, where the number of container ships waiting at berths has increased over the past three weeks.

“Port delays are stretching transit times, disrupting inventory planning, and pushing shippers to carry extra stock,” Drewry said.

Meanwhile, shipping lines are rerouting vessels and imposing congestion surcharges.

Adding further pressure, the eastbound trans-Pacific trade is showing signs of an early peak season, boosted by the 90-day US-China tariff truce that is set to expire on July 9.

Source: Drewry

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Splash247)

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