Ports across Northern Europe, including the major hub at Antwerp, are experiencing significant operational disruption and delays due to escalating congestion. This strain on port networks follows a combination of factors including industrial action, overloaded infrastructure, and bottlenecks in inland transportation.
Container volumes have increased substantially at key European gateways, leading to extended waiting times and high yard occupancy levels.
Antwerp is reporting yard utilization at 96%, with reefer plug capacity exceeded at 112%. Nearly half of vessels arriving at the port are facing waits for berths.
Delays have been exacerbated by residual backlogs from strikes that occurred in late March. To mitigate pressure on operations, the port has reduced its export delivery window to five days.
Congestion is not isolated to Belgium. Ports in Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom are also reporting similar issues. Disruptions to rail and road networks inland are contributing to delays, creating a cascading effect across the region's logistics chain.
Several factors are compounding the situation, including shifts in alliance schedules by major carriers and low water levels on the Rhine River. The reduced barge capacity on the Rhine has pushed more freight onto already strained rail and road networks. Labor shortages have also impacted operations.
Industry forecasts suggest the congestion could persist for another three to four months as alliance network changes are implemented and shipping volumes stabilize. Carriers are advising shippers to collect containers promptly and avoid early export deliveries to help alleviate pressure.
Separately, a dispute involving permits at Antwerp Airport and Ostend-Bruges Airport threatens to ground Belgian Coastguard surveillance flights. Airport operators have moved to prohibit Avgas 100LL fuel, citing lead regulations, although the fuel reportedly remains within legal thresholds under European Union law.
The coastguard utilizes a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft, registered OO_MMM, for tasks such as pollution monitoring and maritime enforcement over the North Sea. Officials have expressed concerns that grounding the aircraft could compromise emergency response capabilities. They point to the government's failure to replace the aging aircraft despite requests made since 2018.
Major congestion across north European ports is expected to continue impacting supply chains and increasing operational costs for the foreseeable future.
