The situation is attributed to a mix of factors: increased cargo volumes from Asia (a consequence of the trade war declared by Donald Trump), geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea that have led to route adjustments, labor adequacy issues, but—in the case of Europe—even weather conditions and changing hydrological data (drop in the Rhine River’s water level) affecting inland transport. At the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest, container throughput increased by 2.7% in the first half of 2025, reaching 7.026 million TEUs. Growth was also recorded (3.7%) in Antwerp, with 6.91 million TEUs. However, despite the increase in cargo traffic, total handled cargo showed a decline, by 4.1% in Rotterdam and 4.3% in Antwerp, indicating shifts in trade composition and flows.
The increased congestion forces shipowners and charterers to seek alternative ports, resulting in the problem being transferred to smaller ports, which now also face delays. Braemar estimates that the normalization of the situation will be significantly delayed, as the issues also affect feeders, making the system less flexible. According to Kuehne+Nagel’s data on the weekly operational status of ports, delays are observed across all major hubs. In Genoa, Italy, the occupancy rate reaches 89%, with several vessels now bypassing the port, while in Rotterdam, delays range from 1 to 6.5 days, depending on the terminal.
However, no congestion is recorded at the country’s largest port, as according to information from “N,” delays for the months of June, July, and August are zero. In Hamburg, delays currently reach up to 4.5 days, while in Bremerhaven and Le Havre, labor availability is affected by summer holidays. A similar picture is presented by the ports of Barcelona and Valencia, where vessel accumulation at anchorages and congestion at berths have become daily occurrences. In Northern Europe, Gothenburg, Sweden, shows an average waiting time of six days, while in the UK, ports such as Tilbury and London Gateway continue to exhibit high congestion levels.
In this context, several shipping companies are proceeding with route redesigns. For example, Maersk announced yesterday adjustments to its European network, bypassing the port of Genoa in August and September cycles for the AE11 service and selecting Vado Ligure as an alternative port to avoid further delays. Schedule reliability has also deteriorated significantly. According to the latest available data, on-time vessel arrivals from Asia to Northern Europe dropped from over 40% in May to less than 33% in July.
The situation is further exacerbated by the extensive use of larger vessels that have been rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea. The longer port stays required by these vessels increase terminal congestion and contribute to overall instability and loss of predictability in the supply chain, intensifying pressure on every link.
The challenges, however, are not limited to Europe. Significant difficulties are also recorded in the ports of North America, particularly on the Pacific coast, such as Los Angeles and Long Beach. There, import volumes from Asia have increased sharply due to the tariff policy recently reinstated by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Anticipating potential trade disruptions, American retail and distribution chains accelerated their orders, causing temporary congestion in port infrastructure. The phenomenon has created queues of ships outside ports, slower unloading, and intense pressure on inland transportation, testing the broader operational resilience of the American supply chain. Despite regular interventions and relief efforts through alternative terminals, overall conditions remain strained.
