North Europe: Latest updates on key region ports

September 14, 2022 – Update 09

The operations at the port are fully resumed following the agreement between the trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), but some challenges still remain.

At Bremerhaven, we are seeing an improvement of the overall situation at the port, with reduced vessel waiting times and lowered pressure on inland transportation. Yard density levels remain high but not critical, while some concerns remain due to the high numbers of long-standing units, which is putting operational effectiveness under risk. Maersk teams continue working with the terminal to mitigate any delays and are kindly requesting customers to please continue picking up import cargo as soon as possible after discharge.

Due to rainfall and rising water levels on the Rhine, barge transportation delays and inland capacity bottlenecks via Antwerp and Rotterdam are reduced, which is decreasing pressure on the German ports and helping to normalise rail and truck transportation.

In the UK, new strike actions have been announced for Port of Felixstowe and Port of Liverpool, which are expected to cause a ripple effect on schedule reliability in the North European hub ports. Our teams are currently reviewing the line-up for the impacted vessels and working hard on planning appropriate contingencies to mitigate the impact on our customers. We expect to share more information in the coming days as we finalise the planning. For most recent updates on strike action at UK ports, please check here.

Our teams continue to work hard on minimising any disruptions to our customers, while providing you with reliable information to help manage your supply chain. If you have any questions, or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Customer Experience representative.

August 26, 2022 – Update 08

As congestion issues continue across North Europe, A.P. Moller – Maersk teams have been keeping a close eye on developments and taking action where necessary in order to minimise the impact on customer supply chains.

Repeated industrial strike action at German ports has been one of the key drivers behind the disruption, but we’re pleased to report that trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) have now reached an agreement over employee salaries until May 2024.

While this is extremely positive news for logistics operations across Europe, there always remains a very small risk of workers going on strike without union backing. Should anything be set to occur in the coming months, we will keep customers informed as soon as possible.

Strike action is currently in progress at the Port of Felixstowe, UK, until Monday 29 August, which is causing schedule disruption in Europe as vessels are advancing/delaying calls in order to bypass the strike window. For more information, click here.

Elsewhere, high yard density, low port productivity and long berth waiting times are continuing to pose challenges across German terminals. To limit delays and help maintain terminal operations at a feasible level, we kindly request you to please continue picking up full import containers or requesting dispatch as swiftly as possible after discharge.

In our last communication, we reported low water levels on the Rhine causing significant disruption to barge transportation with a ripple effect on truck and rail availability in Europe. Recent rainfall has meant Maersk has been able to continue barge activity in several locations and clear the initial backlog, however we do expect levels to drop again and will provide an update on proceedings should that be the case.

Maersk will continue to do all in our power to minimise the North European disruption on your business and keep you updated every step of the way. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local customer experience representative.

August 16, 2022 – Update 07

To keep providing you with optimum visibility, we’d like to inform you about the current situation at the Port of Bremerhaven.

While yard density and situation at terminal is stabilising, we continue to see challenges pertaining to the shortage of truck drivers. Our teams were able to procure additional capacities, the overall inland situation is still difficult, with inland terminals connected to the Port running full.

Main vessel delays are expected due to the announced eight-day strike action at the Port of Felixstowe from 21 August until 29 August. With regards to the negotiations surrounding strike action at German ports, discussions are still ongoing between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS). While there was no agreement on 10 August, the parties are scheduled for further talks on 22 August. We are closely monitoring the situation and will inform you of any developments as soon as possible.

To limit delays and help maintain terminal operations at a feasible level, we kindly request you to please continue picking up full import containers or requesting dispatch as swiftly as possible after discharge.

We thank you for your trust and cooperation and hope to continue assisting you on all matters pertaining to your logistical needs. Should you have any questions, we encourage you to contact your local Customer Experience representative.

August 04, 2022 – Update 06

In the interest of providing optimum visibility to our customers, we’d like to give an update of the situation at the Port of Bremerhaven. While North Europe ports continue to face disruptions, the Port of Bremerhaven is returning to more healthy yard density levels after clearing backlogs from previous strike actions.

Discussions between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) remain ongoing, with the next rounds of negotiations scheduled for 10 and 22 August. We will be keeping a close eye on the situation across the port and communicating any developments, including further actions we will be taking to minimise disruption, with you as soon as possible.

On the rail side, Maersk teams were able to significantly increase rail capacities to and from the hinterland destinations over the past weeks and could thus alleviate supply chain pressure.

To limit delays, we kindly request you to please continue picking up full import containers as swiftly as possible after discharge or requesting dispatch in order to structurally stabilise the situation in the port.

We thank you for your trust and cooperation, and hope to continue assisting you on all matters pertaining to your logistical needs. Should you have any questions, we encourage you to contact your local Customer Experience representative.

July 22, 2022 – Update 05

Following the 48-hour workforce strikes across German terminals, the negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) remain ongoing and are yet to come to a successful agreement. At this time, operations are running at full capacity, with no strikes planned until late August. Should there be any changes, we will keep you updated with the details as soon as possible.

The ongoing congestion across North European ports is leading to further disruptions and delays. This, in combination with last week’s strike, is causing an increased waiting time for our vessels to berth on the ports. Additionally, several rail routes faced technical issues which led to cancellations and postponements on landside transportation from our providers, as they could not reach the ports as originally planned. Our teams are actively working on clearing the backlogs and planning extra capacities to alleviate the situation for our customers.

We are committed to working on further reducing delays and hope to have your support in the process. To assist in alleviating congestion, we kindly ask that you please pick up your cargo from ports at the earliest time possible and return full export containers as close to the cargo cut-off times as possible. For inland haulage that you have booked or plan to book with us, please request a positioning date at least 7 days prior to arrival, or as early as possible.

We thank you for your understanding and support and remain committed to providing you the information needed to effectively manage your supply chain. Maersk teams are always at your disposal for additional support and to answer any questions you might have. Please don’t hesitate to contact your local Customer Experience representative should you have any concerns.

July 13, 2022 – Update 04

A.P. Moller – Maersk is preparing for a 48-hour workforce strike across terminals in Germany, after the latest round of CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) failed to reach a successful conclusion.

The strike is set to run from 6:00am on Thursday 14 July 2022 until 6:00am on Saturday 16 July 2022, directly affecting our operations in Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhemshaven.

Please note that at this stage, negotiations are still ongoing between the parties and there could be changes to the scheduled strike action at the very last minute, including the possibility of an agreement being reached and the strike being cancelled. We will communicate any further information to you as soon as possible.

Having analysed all the information at our disposal right now, Maersk has decided to observe a full stoppage for rail, road and ocean freight for both import and export across our German terminals for the duration of the planned strike. We have evaluated all impacted vessels and have no plans to omit ports or stop operations. Our aim is to return to business as usual serving your global logistics needs from 6:00am on Saturday 16 June 2022.

In the interest of minimising any further disruption to your supply chain, Maersk we will be keeping a close eye on developments up to and during the next round of negotiations between trade union ver.di and ZDS, and will inform you of any updates as soon as they are available.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative if you have any questions. Our teams are always here to support you should you need further assistance.

July 08, 2022 – Update 03

The situation at ports across North Europe is continuing to pose challenges and cause disruption to the global supply chain. And although we are beginning to see some signs of stability at terminals in Germany, yard density levels and waiting times remain extremely high.

Maersk teams are working closely with ports and exploring a number of congestion-easing options – including in-transit/off-dock storage options for longstanding cargo – but we are anticipating challenges to continue throughout the summer months. This is likely to be further exacerbated by a reduction in resources and labour typically associated with the summer holiday season.

As such, we are once again politely asking customers to pick up full inbound units as quickly as possible and make empty containers available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times. We are very grateful for the collaborative efforts we’ve already seen from our customers to reduce congestion, and we hope we can continue to work together to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible.

Our teams have evaluated that redirecting shipments to nearby facilities – such as Gdansk, Wilhelmshaven, or Zeebrugge – could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the impact on your business. If you have fewer resources to pick up containers during the summer months or high warehouse capacity levels, nearby Addicks & Kreye is also available for you to store your full containers and could once again ease congestion issues.

We therefore encourage you to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative to discuss options for your cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

Meanwhile, CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) are yet to reach a successful conclusion and could result in strike action at short notice. We will communicate any further developments with you as soon as possible.

Rest assured, our utmost priority is keeping customer disruption to a minimum and Maersk teams are working around the clock to ensure you have all the information and tools needed to manage your supply chain effectively. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

June 23, 2022 - Update 02

A 24-hour workforce strike across German terminals has now been confirmed, after the latest round of CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) failed to reach a successful conclusion.

The strike will run from 6:00am on Thursday 23 June 2022 until 6:00am on Friday 24 June 2022, directly affecting our operations in Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhemshaven.

At this stage, Maersk will observe a full stoppage for rail, road and ocean freight for both import and export across our German terminals for the duration of the strike.

We are not planning any alterations to services at present and plan to return to business as usual serving your global logistics needs from 6:00am on Friday 24 June 2022.

Following the conclusion of the strike, we will assess the impact of the stoppage and will communicate any necessary service changes with you as soon as possible.

In the interest of minimising any further disruption to your supply chain, Maersk we will be keeping a close eye on developments up to and during the next round of meetings between trade union ver.di and ZDS, acknowledging that further strike action is possible.

June 15, 2022 - Update 01

At Bremerhaven, congestion has reached a critical level, with vast and continuous operational disruptions across the global supply chain impacting yard density levels and waiting times at the port.

Maersk is also keeping under review the ongoing talks between trade union Verdi and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), acknowledging the potential for strike action to take place and cause further disruption. We understand that the next round of discussions will occur on Tuesday 21st June and will evaluate our next steps in the event of any stoppages.

Maersk teams are working closely with the terminal and exploring a number of congestion-easing options, including reviewing several internal processes to help keep cargo flowing in and out effectively, as well as in-transit/off-dock storage options for longstanding cargo. Please do get in touch with your local customer service representative for more information on in-transit or off-dock storage solutions in Bremerhaven.

We would like to inform you on the possibility to store your full containers at Addicks & Kreye in direct proximity to the port. For further information, please contact your sales or customer service representative.

We are also assessing if redirecting your shipments to nearby facilities – such as Gdansk, Wilhelmshaven, or Zeebrugge – could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the impact on your business. We therefore encourage you to reach out to us to discuss your options for Bremerhaven cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

We hope to have your support to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible despite the circumstances. To help alleviate the port congestion, we politely ask that you please pick up full inbound units as swiftly as possible and make empty containers once again available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times.

The continuously critical levels of terminal yard density have an adverse effect on the port and gate op-erations, which result in lower productivity in the terminals and potentially restricted gate opening times that limit our ability to take in more units (both full and empty). For that reason, Maersk are also evacu-ating longstanding units to off-dock facilities if not picked up within reasonable time frames. Your cus-tomer service representative will be contacting you if your containers are selected to be moved to an off-dock location.

In terms of inland transportation, we are seeing several external factors – including system outages and reduced scheduling on national holidays and unexpected railway disruptions – having a detrimental im-pact on road and rail services. Throughout May and June, there have been three incidents where the rail overhead lines have been compromised in Bremerhaven. These have caused unexpected disruption to rail connectivity and resulted in many delays and even cancellation of trains.

Maersk teams are planning ahead and focusing on clearing backlogs and securing incremental capacities. In the meantime, if you have booked or intend to book inland haulage with us, please request a positioning date as early as possible so that we can plan capacity requirements accordingly. For imports, we recommend a positioning request to be sent to us > 7 days prior to arrival.

September 14, 2022 – Update 04

In the interest of providing optimum visibility to our customers, A. P. Moller – Maersk would like to update you on the current situation at the Port of Rotterdam.

The overall situation at the Port is improving, with berth waiting times decreasing in recent weeks. While yard density levels are slightly improving, we are expecting a slight temporary increase during big discharge calls and seeing high number of long-standing units. To help maintain operations at a feasible level and mitigate further delays, Maersk teams are kindly requesting customers to please pick up import cargo as soon as possible upon discharge.

Due to recent rainfall and rising water levels on the Rhine, barge transportation delays are minimising, and helping lower the pressure on inland transportation. While this comes as good news, barge transport remains under pressure as barges are still not being fully loaded as at normal water levels.

In the UK, new strike actions have been announced for Port of Felixstowe and Port of Liverpool, which are expected to cause a ripple effect on schedule reliability in the North European hub ports. Our teams are currently reviewing the line-up for the impacted vessels and working hard on planning appropriate contingencies to mitigate the impact on our customers. We expect to share more information in the coming days as we finalise the planning. For most recent updates on strike action at UK ports, please check here.

Our teams continue to work hard on minimising any disruptions to our customers, while providing you with reliable information to help manage your supply chain. If you have any questions, or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Customer Experience representative.

August 16, 2022 – Update 03

A. P. Moller – Maersk would like to inform you about the current situation at the Port of Rotterdam, where multiple factors continue to pose adverse effect on operations.

Barge situation is becoming more critical as water levels on the Rhine continue to drop. Measuring point Kaub reports water levels below 40cm mark, making barge transport impossible to and from many locations. This is putting additional strain on other modes of transport and additional delays are inevitable at this point. Maersk teams are doing their utmost to find alternative solutions and procure capacities on alternative modes of transport.

On the ocean side, additional delays are expected with main vessels due to the announced eight-day strike action at the Port of Felixstowe from 21 August until 29 August. We continue to monitor the situation and will communicate any developments and potential delays as soon as possible.

To limit further delays and reduce terminal yard density, we are politely encouraging you to please pick up import units as swiftly as possible upon their arrival, limit changes to existing orders as much as possible, and assist our efforts for timely customs clearance and documentation.

Despite all our efforts, we expect the situation to remain critical over the coming weeks. Should there be any changes, we will communicate them as soon as possible, together with further actions we are taking to minimise disruptions. Our teams remain available for further assistance, so should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative.

August 04, 2022 – Update 02

A. P. Moller – Maersk would like to inform you about the current situation beyond ocean transportation to and from the Port of Rotterdam. Multiple factors have an increasingly adverse effect on barge, rail, and truck operations, and we would like to give you more context and transparency to support you in managing your supply chain.

Barge

Many barge transports are delayed due to long waiting times at the deep seaport terminals and continuous ETA changes of the mainline vessels. This affects the barge berthing windows, and subsequently barge schedules, leading to rebookings and cargo backlog.

The present energy crisis has triggered an enormous barge capacity demand for the transport of coal to power stations. Barge capacity is being redirected through the Danube river in order to evacuate grain from Ukraine.

The situation is aggravated by the low water on the Rhine, caused by the prevailing high temperatures coupled with a lack of rainfall. The current water level at measuring point Kaub is reported below the 80cm mark, normal being 224cm, which translates into less barge capacity, and further interferes with inland waterway transportation to and from the Rhine related destinations.

Maersk teams continue to investigate additional and alternative transport options in order to minimise any delays to your shipments.

Rail

In recent weeks, we have seen disruptions in rail transport caused by line maintenance and construction, labour shortage, and disruptions in the seaports. In some cases, trains are not handled, booked time windows are not adhered to or changed/cancelled at short notice, resulting in train cancellations and cargo backlog. In an effort to mitigate delays for our customers, Maersk teams are working hard on procuring additional capacities.

Truck

Significant shortage of truck drivers in the last months continues to compromise trucking capacity. At the same time, road transportation is seeing additional high demand as a result of above-mentioned challenges on other modes of transport. Maersk teams are working hard on procuring additional trucking capacities to mitigate further delays for our customers.

In order to limit further disruption in this environment, we are politely encouraging you to please pick up import units as soon as possible upon their arrival, as we are seeing a significant increase in average days at terminal. We also kindly ask that you please limit changes to existing orders as much as possible, and assist our efforts for timely customs clearance and documentation.

Despite all our efforts, we expect the situation to remain critical over the coming weeks. Should there be any changes, we will communicate them as soon as possible, together with further actions we are taking to minimise disruptions. Our teams remain available for further assistance, so should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative.

June 15, 2022 – Update 01

As high congestion levels in the Port of Rotterdam continue to pose challenges, A.P. Moller – Maersk teams have been working hard to alleviate the situation for our customers. We understand that the dis-ruption may have an impact on your business, and we are committed to reducing delays and restoring fluidity as quickly as possible.

Maersk teams are assessing if redirecting to nearby facilities – such as Gdansk, Wilhelmshaven or Zeebrugge could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the impact on your business. We therefore encourage you to reach out to your local customer service representative to discuss your options for Rotterdam cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

We are also working closely with the terminal and exploring several congestion-easing options, including reviewing in-transit/off-dock storage options for long-standing cargo. We can provide several different off-dock options around the Netherlands to our customers according to their needs, including our warehouse facilities in nearby Willebroek (Belgium). Please get in touch with your sales or customer service representative for more information on in-transit or off-dock storage/warehousing solutions in Netherlands/Belgium.

We hope to have your support to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible despite the situation in Rotterdam. To help alleviate the terminal congestion, we politely ask that you please pick up full inbound units as swiftly as possible and make empty containers once again available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times.

The continuously critical levels of terminal yard density have an adverse effect on the port and gate operations, which result in lower productivity in the terminals and potentially restricted gate opening times that limit our ability to take in more units (both full and empty). For that reason, Maersk are also evacuating longstanding units to off-dock facilities if not picked up within reasonable time frames. Your customer service representative will be contacting you if your containers are selected to be moved to an off-dock location.

For inland cargo, Maersk teams are planning ahead and focusing on clearing the backlogs and securing incremental capacities. In the meantime, if you have booked or intend to book inland haulage with us, please request a positioning date as early as possible so that we can plan capacity requirements accordingly. For imports, we recommend a positioning request to be sent to us > 7 days prior to arrival.

September 14, 2022 – Update 09

The operations at the port are fully resumed following the agreement between the trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), but some challenges still remain.

While we are seeing an improvement on the overall situation in Hamburg, yard density levels remain high, causing low port productivity and increased berth waiting times. The high number of long-standing units is putting operational effectiveness under risk, so Maersk teams are kindly requesting customers to please continue picking up import cargo as soon as possible after discharge, to help maintain operations at a feasible level.

Due to rainfall and rising water levels on the Rhine, barge transportation delays and inland capacity bottlenecks via Antwerp and Rotterdam are reduced, which is decreasing pressure on the German ports and helping to normalise rail and truck transportation.

In the UK, new strike actions have been announced for Port of Felixstowe and Port of Liverpool, which are expected to cause a ripple effect on schedule reliability in the North European hub ports. Our teams are currently reviewing the line-up for the impacted vessels and working hard on planning appropriate contingencies to mitigate the impact on our customers. We expect to share more information in the coming days as we finalise the planning. For most recent updates on strike action at UK ports, please check here.

Our teams continue to work hard on minimising any disruptions to our customers, while providing you with reliable information to help manage your supply chain. If you have any questions, or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Customer Experience representative.

August 26, 2022 – Update 08

As congestion issues continue across North Europe, A.P. Moller – Maersk teams have been keeping a close eye on developments and taking action where necessary in order to minimise the impact on customer supply chains.

Repeated industrial strike action at German ports has been one of the key drivers behind the disruption, but we’re pleased to report that trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) have now reached an agreement over employee salaries until May 2024.

While this is extremely positive news for logistics operations across Europe, there always remains a very small risk of workers going on strike without union backing. Should anything be set to occur in the coming months, we will keep customers informed as soon as possible.

Strike action is currently in progress at the Port of Felixstowe, UK, until Monday 29 August, which is causing schedule disruption in Europe as vessels are advancing/delaying calls in order to bypass the strike window. For more information, click here.

Elsewhere, high yard density, low port productivity and long berth waiting times are continuing to pose challenges across German terminals. To limit delays and help maintain terminal operations at a feasible level, we kindly request you to please continue picking up full import containers or requesting dispatch as swiftly as possible after discharge.

In our last communication, we reported low water levels on the Rhine causing significant disruption to barge transportation with a ripple effect on truck and rail availability in Europe. Recent rainfall has meant Maersk has been able to continue barge activity in several locations and clear the initial backlog, however we do expect levels to drop again and will provide an update on proceedings should that be the case.

Maersk will continue to do all in our power to minimise the North European disruption on your business and keep you updated every step of the way. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local customer experience representative.

August 16, 2022 – Update 07

To keep providing you with optimum visibility, we’d like to inform you about the current situation at the Port of Hamburg. The port continues to face challenges such as high yard density levels, long berth waiting times, and vessel deviation to alternative ports to mitigate the impact of disruptions.

Further delays are expected due to the announced eight-day strike action at the Port of Felixstowe from 21 August until 29 August. With regards to the negotiations surrounding strike action at German ports, discussions are still ongoing between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS). While there was no agreement on 10 August, the parties are scheduled for further talks on 22 August. We are closely monitoring the situation and will inform you of any developments as soon as possible.

We understand that the current situation continues to cause frustration for your operations, and we appreciate your understanding while we work on mitigating further delays. Our teams continue to work hard on finding solutions and giving you more visibility and reliability.

To limit delays and reduce terminal yard density, we kindly ask you to please pick up full import containers as swiftly as possible after discharge or requesting dispatch in order to structurally stabilise the situation in the port.

We thank you for your trust and hope to continue assisting you on all matters pertaining to your logistical needs. We deeply value our partnership with you, and endeavour to continue adding value to your supply chain. We encourage you to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative with any questions and to discuss options for diverting cargo around congestion as soon as possible.

August 04, 2022 – Update 06

In the interest of providing optimum visibility to our customers, we’d like to make you aware of the situation at the Port of Hamburg. Our network has been severely disrupted by the current congestion levels across Europe and the port itself is subject to high yard density levels, high berth waiting times, and high waiting times for both import and export, resulting in significant delays.

This has been caused by a magnitude of factors combining to have a ripple effect on operations, including labour shortages due to strike action and holiday season, high dwell on import cargo, demand surges into North Europe ports, inland bottlenecks and more.

We understand and appreciate your frustration with the situation and are working hard to give you optimum transparency as we work towards a resolution. We want our customers to know that Maersk teams are analysing every avenue that could alleviate these issues in both the short and long term to give you more consistency and predictability on your supply chain.

Our first contingency plans are now in operation, however we are expecting disruption to continue through August and September. Discussion between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) remains ongoing, with the next rounds of negotiations scheduled for 10 and 22 August. We will be keeping a close eye on the situation across the port and communicating any developments, including further actions we will be taking to minimise disruption, with you as soon as possible.

To limit delays, we kindly ask you to please continue picking up full import containers as swiftly as possible after discharge or requesting dispatch in order to structurally stabilise the situation in the port.

We thank you for your trust and hope to continue assisting you on all matters pertaining to your logistical needs. We deeply value our partnership with you, and endeavour to continue adding value to your supply chain. We encourage you to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative with any questions and to discuss options for diverting cargo around congestion as soon as possible.

July 22, 2022 – Update 05

Following the 48-hour workforce strikes across German terminals, the negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) remain ongoing and are yet to come to a successful agreement. At this time, operations are running at full capacity, with no strikes planned until late August. Should there be any changes, we will keep you updated with the details as soon as possible.

The ongoing congestion across North European ports is leading to further disruptions and delays. This, in combination with last week’s strike, is causing an increased waiting time for our vessels to berth on the ports. Additionally, several rail routes faced technical issues which led to cancellations and postponements on landside transportation from our providers, as they could not reach the ports as originally planned. Our teams are actively working on clearing the backlogs and planning extra capacities to alleviate the situation for our customers.

We are committed to working on further reducing delays and hope to have your support in the process. To assist in alleviating congestion, we kindly ask that you please pick up your cargo from ports at the earliest time possible and return full export containers as close to the cargo cut-off times as possible. For inland haulage that you have booked or plan to book with us, please request a positioning date at least 7 days prior to arrival, or as early as possible.

We thank you for your understanding and support and remain committed to providing you the information needed to effectively manage your supply chain. Maersk teams are always at your disposal for additional support and to answer any questions you might have. Please don’t hesitate to contact your local Customer Experience representative should you have any concerns.

July 13, 2022 – Update 04

A.P. Moller – Maersk is preparing for a 48-hour workforce strike across terminals in Germany, after the latest round of CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) failed to reach a successful conclusion.

The strike is set to run from 6:00am on Thursday 14 July 2022 until 6:00am on Saturday 16 July 2022, directly affecting our operations in Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhemshaven.

Please note that at this stage, negotiations are still ongoing between the parties and there could be changes to the scheduled strike action at the very last minute, including the possibility of an agreement being reached and the strike being cancelled. We will communicate any further information to you as soon as possible.

Having analysed all the information at our disposal right now, Maersk has decided to observe a full stoppage for rail, road and ocean freight for both import and export across our German terminals for the duration of the planned strike. We have evaluated all impacted vessels and have no plans to omit ports or stop operations. Our aim is to return to business as usual serving your global logistics needs from 6:00am on Saturday 16 June 2022.

In the interest of minimising any further disruption to your supply chain, Maersk we will be keeping a close eye on developments up to and during the next round of negotiations between trade union ver.di and ZDS, and will inform you of any updates as soon as they are available.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative if you have any questions. Our teams are always here to support you should you need further assistance.

July 08, 2022 – Update 03

The situation at ports across North Europe is continuing to pose challenges and cause disruption to the global supply chain. And although we are beginning to see some signs of stability at terminals in Germany, yard density levels and waiting times remain extremely high.

Maersk teams are working closely with ports and exploring a number of congestion-easing options – including in-transit/off-dock storage options for longstanding cargo – but we are anticipating challenges to continue throughout the summer months. This is likely to be further exacerbated by a reduction in resources and labour typically associated with the summer holiday season.

As such, we are once again politely asking customers to pick up full inbound units as quickly as possible and make empty containers available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times. We are very grateful for the collaborative efforts we’ve already seen from our customers to reduce congestion, and we hope we can continue to work together to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible.

Our teams have evaluated that redirecting shipments to nearby facilities – such as Gdansk, Wilhelmshaven, or Zeebrugge – could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the impact on your business. If you have fewer resources to pick up containers during the summer months or high warehouse capacity levels, nearby Addicks & Kreye is also available for you to store your full containers and could once again ease congestion issues.

We therefore encourage you to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative to discuss options for your cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

Meanwhile, CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) are yet to reach a successful conclusion and could result in strike action at short notice. We will communicate any further developments with you as soon as possible.

Rest assured, our utmost priority is keeping customer disruption to a minimum and Maersk teams are working around the clock to ensure you have all the information and tools needed to manage your supply chain effectively. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

June 23, 2022 - Update 02

A 24-hour workforce strike across German terminals has now been confirmed, after the latest round of CLA negotiations between trade union ver.di and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS) failed to reach a successful conclusion.

The strike will run from 6:00am on Thursday 23 June 2022 until 6:00am on Friday 24 June 2022, directly affecting our operations in Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhemshaven.

At this stage, Maersk will observe a full stoppage for rail, road and ocean freight for both import and export across our German terminals for the duration of the strike.

We are not planning any alterations to services at present and plan to return to business as usual serving your global logistics needs from 6:00am on Friday 24 June 2022.

Following the conclusion of the strike, we will assess the impact of the stoppage and will communicate any necessary service changes with you as soon as possible.

In the interest of minimising any further disruption to your supply chain, Maersk we will be keeping a close eye on developments up to and during the next round of meetings between trade union ver.di and ZDS, acknowledging that further strike action is possible.

June 15, 2022 - Update 01

Congestion across the global supply chain has contributed to challenging yard density levels and waiting times at the Port of Hamburg, while potential strike action threatens to add further disruption across Germany and North Europe.

We are keeping under review the ongoing talks between trade union Verdi and the Central Association of German Seaport Companies (ZDS), acknowledging the possibility of strike action taking place. We understand that the next round of discussions will occur on Tuesday 21st June and will evaluate our next steps in the event of any stoppages.

Maersk teams are committed to keeping your supply chain moving and minimising the impact on your business, and we will continue to communicate any further developments as they happen.

We hope to have your support to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible despite the situation in Rotterdam. To help alleviate the terminal congestion, we politely ask that you please pick up full inbound units as swiftly as possible and make empty containers once again available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times.

Maersk is also assessing if redirecting to nearby facilities – such as Wilhelmshaven, Gdansk or Zeebrugge – could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the impact on your business. We therefore encourage you to reach out to your local customer service representative to discuss your options for Hamburg cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

For inland road and rail services to and from Hamburg, backlogs, delays and cancellations to rail services have had a significant impact on productivity and available capacity. Maersk teams are planning ahead to focus on clearing the backlogs and securing incremental capacities.

In the meantime, if you have booked or intend to book inland haulage with us, please request a positioning date as early as possible so that we can plan capacity requirements accordingly. For imports, we recommend a positioning request to be sent to us > 7 days prior to arrival.

August 16, 2022 – Update 03

A. P. Moller – Maersk would like to inform you about the current situation at the Port of Antwerp, where multiple factors continue to pose adverse effect on operations.

Barge situation is becoming more critical as water levels on the Rhine continue to drop. Measuring point Kaub reports water levels below 40cm mark, making barge transport impossible to and from many locations. This is putting additional strain on other modes of transport and additional delays are inevitable at this point. Maersk teams are doing their utmost to find alternative solutions and procure capacities on alternative modes of transport.

On the ocean side, additional delays are expected with main vessels due to the announced eight-day strike action at the Port of Felixstowe from 21 August until 29 August. We continue to monitor the situation and will communicate any developments and potential delays as soon as possible.

To limit further delays and reduce terminal yard density, we are politely encouraging you to please pick up import units as swiftly as possible upon their arrival, limit changes to existing orders as much as possible, and assist our efforts for timely customs clearance and documentation. Where possible, we kindly request that you ship your cargo via Rotterdam, where better rail connectivity can help keep your cargo moving.

Despite all our efforts, we expect the situation to remain critical over the coming weeks. Should there be any changes, we will communicate them as soon as possible, together with further actions we are taking to minimise disruptions. Our teams remain available for further assistance, so should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative.

August 04, 2022 – Update 02

A. P. Moller – Maersk would like to inform you about the current situation beyond ocean transportation to and from the Port of Antwerp. Multiple factors have an increasingly adverse effect on barge, rail, and truck operations, and we would like to give you more context and transparency to support you in managing your supply chain.

Barge

Many barge transports are delayed due to long waiting times at the deep seaport terminals and continuous ETA changes of the mainline vessels. This affects the barge berthing windows, and subsequently barge schedules, leading to rebookings and cargo backlog.

The present energy crisis has triggered an enormous barge capacity demand for the transport of coal to power stations. Barge capacity is being redirected through the Danube river in order to evacuate grain from Ukraine.

The situation is aggravated by the low water on the Rhine, caused by the prevailing high temperatures coupled with a lack of rainfall. The current water level at measuring point Kaub is reported below the 80cm mark, normal being 224cm, which translates into less barge capacity, and further interferes with inland waterway transportation to and from the Rhine related destinations.

Maersk teams continue to investigate additional and alternative transport options in order to minimise any delays to your shipments.

Rail

In recent weeks, we have seen disruptions in rail transport caused by line maintenance and construction, labour shortage, and disruptions in the seaports. In some cases, trains are not handled, booked time windows are not adhered to or changed/cancelled at short notice, resulting in train cancellations and cargo backlog. In an effort to mitigate delays for our customers, Maersk teams are working hard on procuring additional capacities.

Truck

Significant shortage of truck drivers in the last months continues to compromise trucking capacity. At the same time, road transportation is seeing additional high demand as a result of above-mentioned challenges on other modes of transport. Maersk teams are working hard on procuring additional trucking capacities to mitigate further delays for our customers.

In order to limit further disruption in this environment, we are kindly asking you to please limit changes to existing orders as much as possible, and to assist our efforts for timely customs clearance and documentation. We also politely encourage you to please continue picking up full import containers as swiftly as possible after discharge or requesting dispatch in order to structurally stabilise the situation in the port.

Despite all our efforts, we expect the situation to remain critical over the coming weeks. Should there be any changes, we will communicate them as soon as possible, together with further actions we are taking to minimise disruptions. Our teams remain available for further assistance, so should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Customer Experience representative.

June 15, 2022 – Update 01

Despite waiting times and terminal productivity remaining at fair levels in Antwerp, yard density across the North Europe network remains high – predominantly caused by high dwell time and vessel delays impacting productivity and berth congestion.

This combined with facing a reduction in labour as we enter the summer period means Maersk is keeping a close eye on Antwerp and making provisions to ensure congestion remains at a minimum and customer supply chains continue to function seamlessly.

As such, we are politely asking that customers please pick up full inbound units as quickly as possible and make empty containers once again available for exports. Please also return full export containers as late as possible before cargo cut-off times.

Maersk is also assessing if redirecting to nearby facilities – such as Zeebrugge or Wilhelmshaven - could speed up delivery/pick-up and reduce the potential impact on your business. We therefore encourage you to reach out to your local customer service representative to discuss your options for Antwerp cargo and how we can help to manage your supply chain challenges.

For inland cargo, Maersk teams are planning ahead with a focus on clearing backlogs and securing incremental capacities. In the meantime, if you have booked or intend to book inland haulage with us, please request a positioning date as early as possible so that we can plan capacity requirements accordingly. For imports, we recommend a positioning request to be sent to us > 7 days prior to arrival.