Carriers in the Port of Antwerp are also introducing additional surcharges because of ongoing congestion. Busy terminals are increasing costs throughout the logistics chain.
Although queues in Rotterdam and Antwerp are shorter than at the start of the year, congestion remains a serious issue in Western European seaports. Major container terminals have introduced peak-spreading surcharges to reduce daytime pressure. Carriers in the Netherlands and Belgium are increasingly passing these costs directly to their customers: freight forwarders, shippers and ultimately consumers.
Carriers are adjusting routes and schedules and increasingly driving at night to avoid these charges. Even so, port capacity remains tight during peak periods. Larger vessels, delays and global logistics disruptions continue to cause congestion.