August 10, 2026 - Global liner giant Maersk issued an urgent logistics alert targeting all shippers importing goods to Europe via the Port of Rotterdam. According to the carrier's circular, multiple container terminals inside Rotterdam are facing extreme operational pressure at present. The continuous growth of import cargo volume leads to fully occupied container storage yards, while the number of available quay cranes has been reduced due to routine equipment maintenance and staff shortages. As a result, the waiting time for inbound trucks to pick up containers has surged to over 12 hours on average, and vessel unloading efficiency has dropped by nearly 40%.
Maersk stated that the congestion will last for at least three weeks, which will generate two major troubles for cargo owners. First, ships arriving at Rotterdam will face long berthing waits, leading to 3–7 days of overall delivery delay. Second, cargo that cannot be picked up in time will incur heavy detention and demurrage charges from terminals and carriers.
The logistics company put forward targeted suggestions for global exporters and importers. Shippers with unloaded cargo on the way can apply to divert vessels to Hamburg, Antwerp or Le Havre for unloading. For goods scheduled to be shipped to Rotterdam in the next month, clients are recommended to reschedule bookings or select multi-modal transport combining sea and rail to bypass the congested port. Freight agents are required to track vessel real-time status every day and inform customers of cost risks in advance.
Industry analysts commented that the congestion at Rotterdam is a typical peak-season supply chain bottleneck. European retail enterprises are stocking goods for the fourth-quarter holiday sales, pushing import volume to a yearly high. All logistics participants need to reserve extra buffer time for European shipments in the following two months.
