The latest European logistics updates for managing your supply chain across Europe and beyond.
The situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable; and despite Iran and the US reportedly moving towards a peace deal, strikes continue and shipping conditions in the Strait of Hormuz are not yet showing significant signs of improvement. Maersk’s priority remains the safety of our personnel, assets, and customer cargo, and we will continue to operate with heightened caution at this time. Please visit Maersk’s dedicated Middle East Situation page for the latest updates in and around the region.
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Elsewhere, Maersk has launched a new service to strengthen connectivity between North Europe, Italy, and Egypt. The Baltic Sea – SLA service links Gdansk, Bremerhaven, and Genoa (Vado Ligure) with both Port Said and Alexandria, offering a direct routing into Egypt and the wider East Mediterranean. By reducing reliance on indirect routings, the service is expected to shorten transit times and offer greater reliability over complicated alternatives. Read more about it here.
On the terminal side, a number of key gateways are experiencing high yard density levels for dangerous goods, including at Rotterdam, Bremerhaven and Hamburg. Customers are kindly asked to please prioritise picking up dangerous cargo units as soon as possible, in order to ease any potential congestion.
In Belgium, Antwerp terminals are facing weather related disruption due to strong winds being forecast, and customers should be aware that operations may slow down depending on the impact. We will keep customers informed of any developments as soon as possible.
In the Netherlands, conditions at Rotterdam terminals remain particularly tight, with high yard utilisation, reduced crane availability and extended waiting times for barges and feeders. Several terminals are requesting urgent collection of import units to prevent further congestion.
To stay updated on the latest information on your cargo, you can receive ETA notifications for your cargo by signing up here.
Finally, as part of a series of ongoing regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in shipping, the United Kingdom has now confirmed the extension of its Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to domestic maritime activities, effective 1st July 2026. Customers are advised to factor this into planning for UK-connected supply chains. Find out more details here.
Rail operations out of Hamburg and Bremerhaven are currently impacted by infrastructure upgrades across the German rail network, which are limiting available track capacity and affecting inland connections. While rail services are continuing to operate, these constraints are creating delays on certain corridors and reducing overall network flexibility.
For customers, this may result in longer inland transit times and less predictable rail schedules, particularly on heavily used routes from North German gateways. To minimise disruption, customers are advised to plan for additional buffer time on rail moves and consider alternative inland options where possible. Maersk continues to monitor the situation closely and adjust planning to maintain cargo flow wherever possible.
For more information on ways to connect seamlessly with our rail, road, and barge solutions across Europe, please visit Maersk’s Inland transportation services in Europe.
In air freight, disruption in the Middle East continues to have an impact on services between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Although WorldACD notes that there are now signs of a slow recovery, cancellations and re-routings have ultimately resulted in tighter space across multiple gateways.
Maersk has deployed a number of air and multimodal solutions in order to support customers through the disruption, including utilising stable hubs away from the Gulf to keep cargo moving. Please reach out to your local Maersk representative to discuss options.
On top of this, Maersk is continuing to expand its specialised air freight capabilities for pharmaceutical customers, with the introduction of a controlled air network between Europe and the US. This solution is designed to support both passive and active pharmaceutical shipments, ensuring full compliance with GDP requirements through end to end temperature control, monitoring, and handling standards. The service is aimed at providing greater reliability for high value, time sensitive healthcare cargo.
Plus, Maersk is also preparing to extend the controlled pharma network to Europe-China later this year. We will update customers with more information as soon as it becomes available, but please reach out to your local representative for further details.
Please click here to find helpful information about Maersk Air Cargo and our services to and from Europe.