Europe

Operational and Customer Service Updates for Europe

Last update: March 30, 2023

Highlights:

• France - Terminal closure (gate & ops) from 11h until 15h on 27/03/2023 (4hrs per day). Terminal closure (gate & ops) from 06h on 28/03/23 until 06h on 29/03/23 (24hrs – national strike action). Terminal closure (gate & ops) from 11h until 15h on 29–30–31 of March (4hrs per day). Please refer to information under France for additional details and all affected vessels here.
• Türkiye - the Iskenderun terminal is closed due to the earthquake. We are accepting shipments from the Mersin terminal. Please visit our CustomerNEWS section here for regular updates.
• France - ongoing strikes. Gate in and gate out operations are limited. Terminal restrictions in place with short window to gate in containers. Expected truck-appointment shortage that might lead to extra costs, including temporarty storage outside the port. Rail and barge are recommended to transport containers to and from sea terminals.

Terminal situation

Antwerp, Belgium

• PSA: Yard utilization 913 between 60% – 65%. 869 yard on an operational level of 60% – 65%. Empty storage area on both terminals between 45% – 60%. Labour availability is on a sufficient level. 913 with reduced yard capacity due to ongoing construction work. Finish date was extended to end of June. Additionally, as of next month, due to pier works at 869, the berth capacity will be reduced by 400 meters.
  
• AGW: Yard level at 55% – 65%. Reefer plug capacity between 40% – 55%. Empty storage below 80 - 85%. Sufficient labour availability. Terminal with good operations. Terminal is expected to receive two new gantry cranes by the end of this month.
• All ANR terminals still have export delivery restrictions in place. Export cargo delivery gates will be opened only 7 days prior vessel ETA.
  

Rotterdam, Netherlands

• Europe Container Terminals (ECT): Yard at 60% – 65% utilization. Reefer plug utilization at 70 - 75%. Labour on a good level, at times in excess. ECT successfully swapped GC with one additional GC returning to service. No delays for second modalities. Berth line-up with gaps.
  
• Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG):Yard level averaging between 65% – 70%. Import dwell times on a good level. Sufficient gangs can be deployed. Reefer plug utilization between 50% – 55%. Terminal with good operations. Cargo opening times for export cargo at RWG 8 days prior vessel ETA. Berth line-up with gaps.  

United Kingdom

• Southampton Port (SOU): Yard level 50% – 55% well within the operational parameters. No further structural vessel delays to report. Sufficient labour can be deployed. SOU cargo opening time for the acceptance of export cargo is 10 days in advance of vessels ETA.
  
• London Gateway Port (LGP): Yard utilization between 50% – 55%. Reefer stacks with 50% – 55%. Full labour deplyoment. All vessels berthing on arrival with minimum delay. Terminal remains with good operations and open capacity.
  

Hamburg, Germany 

• Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA): Yard averaging between 75% – 80% throughout the week. Overall labour availability on a sufficient level. Beginning of the week almost all vessels with berth on arrival and few gaps in the line-up. Terminal with good operations. Because of strike of the pilot boat crews on Wednesday, it is expected that a closure of the river Elbe for arriving and departing Pilot required vessel leading to several disruptions to the line-up. The port of Hamburg will see a busy weekend/beginning of the next weeks as traffic on the river continued Friday early morning.
  
• Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB): Average yard utilization between 50% – 65% reduced compared to previous week. Ongoing civil works temporary reducing the overall capacity with no impact on the operations and first steps of construction being completed returning yard capacity. Terminal has free capacity. Labour availability on sufficient levels. Berth line–up with longer gaps at times allowing for high flexibility. Because of strike of the pilot boat crews on Wednesday, it is expected that a closure of the river Elbe for arriving and departing Pilot required vessel leading to several disruptions to the line-up. The port of Hamburg will see a busy weekend/beginning of the next weeks as traffic on the river continued Friday early morning.  

G.M.P. Le Havre, France

• CNMP/GMP/TNMSC: Strike actions continues this week, due to the announced increase of retirement entry age, started 21/03 – 23/03 and led to 72 hours of no operations. Additionally, a 4-hour nationwide strike action on Friday at 11:00-15:00. Previous strike actions have led to berth congestions and higher yard utilization. Higher yard utilization is negatively impacting productivity. Consequently, services are being delayed and vessel are bunching to come alongside. The closure of terminals is stressing export deliveries.

Italy 

• Terminal Genoa (PSA GP) yard utilization is currently at 70%. Empty container restriction for gate in remains are still in place ensure import containers are always stowed in operational yard and available for delivery; Vessel opening and closing time can be checked on PSAGP web portal.
• Termninal La Specia (LSCT) yard utilization is around 65%; Terminal has fully reinstated the standard export container-acceptance procedures opening the second vessel with usual restricion related to DG/OOG/RF cargo
• Terminal Genoa (GPT) Gate in restrictions still in place for DG and reefer exports because of IMO park limitations and strong increase of reefer volumes.
• North Tyrrhenian ports (mainly Genoa and Leghorn) were severely affected by bad weather resulting delayed vessels operations.
• (Venezia Vecon Terminal) Reefer area is currently congested, Terminal is now only accepting reefer cargo for the first vessel.

Adriatic Sea / Black Sea / Levante / Northern Africa 

• Koper, Slovenia
  Port congested due to heavy winds.
  
• Egypt
  Port delay or congestion in main Terminals: (Damietta, Alexandria, and Sokhna) Delays expected during the week 9 for some hours due to the vessels will arrive out of their window.
  • (Port Said) No delays

• Greece
  No updates
  
• Türkiye
  Due to earthquake, Iskenderun terminal is closed. As an alternative option, we keep accepting shipments from Mersin terminal. (Mersin) Terminal is congested, vessels wait for berthing up to 144 hours after their arrival.
• Romania
  Beginning with March 6, 2023 terminal will start the refurbishment project of one of Quay Gantry Cranes (QGC). Project will take around 2 months. With maximum 2xQGC deployed on all vessels during mentioned works, we expect slight delays in operations.
  

Spain / Portugal

• no updates

Transport situation

North (Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland)

• Limited capacity in Finland due to volumes consolidation in port after strike
• New rail industry strike in Finland March 21 - March 24, 2023. Freight traffic restarts on Friday, March 24 in the early morning. There may be traffic disruptions caused by the strike for several days.
• Issues with trains in Poland going throw Kutno due to railway system update failure, delays are expected

Germany & Central Europe

• Rail expansion work is planned around the Basel area between April 10-17. No interference with our network is expected.
  
• From March 1, 2023, road restrictions for trucks over 12 tons will be implemented in the Czech Republic and Slovakia resulting in detours and longer distances travelled.
• Prenotice for combined rail, rail and direct truck currently needed: 7-10 days.
  
• Expected capacity restrictions within the Rail network from April 6 to April 12, 2023 due to Easter Holidays.
  
• Due to construction works on the Gabacsi railway bridge between May 2023 and Aug 2023 delays may occur at the Metrans Busc terminal.
• CTA utilization on manageable level - By the end of March the ongoing crane maintenance should be finished increasing the stack capacity to normal levels.
  
• CTB terminal started construction to transfer three container stacks from straddle carrier to fully automatic - Yard density and operational level are on a normal level.
• CTB - Berth 1+2 will close for apprx. 10 weeks starting in May/June 2023.
• CTB - Terminal operation system will be upgraded during an extended easter closure. The terminal will close between 7 a.m. April 8 and 7 a.m. April 11 with full operations back at 5 p.m. April 11, 2023.
• The ongoing strike in the Hamburg port leads to a longer transit time, the exact delay is unknown yet. It is not expected an excessive backlog build up or congestion in Hamburg after the strike.
• Due to ongoing tariff negotiations the Hamburg pilot boat crews went on strike between this Wednesday 10 a.m. and Friday 6 a.m. This led to a closure of the river Elbe for all vessels, it is expected that this will result in several days in vessel line-up.

Benelux

• Due to strikes in France, some Carriers Haulage bookings being rerouted via Rotterdam/Antwerp.
• Congestion on terminals is still high - COT making it difficult to plan the transportation as per customer’s request.
• Water levels are good at the Rhine and no low water at the moment.
• Terminals are sticking to cargo opening times and appointment system to pick up and drop off containers even if no congestion. Difficult to bring in and pick up containers from the sea terminals in Westports.

France

• Strike days in week 12 Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Inland storage facilities around and ports are highly congested.
• Booking stop for exports by truck via the terminals TDF & TN in Le Havre.
• Rail & Barge operations are affected by the strike.
• River Seine: Transport plan adapted, with reduction of rotations.
• River Rhône: Annual maintenance done but 2 locks can’t be re-opened as protesters are blocking them.
• The short terminal opening windows and severe lack of appointments make the entrance of containers hardly possible.
• Transport plan adapted, and some trains are circulating but LHTE shunting is limited.

United Kingdom/Ireland

• Truck and Rail capacities are widely available.
• Terminal Southampton – Port performance has significantly improved.
• Depot Southampton - Empty block stacking now taking place in Southampton due to no empty evac availability.
• Terminal Gateway – No issues, additional vessel capacity available.
• Depot Gateway - Empty block stacking may be required in Gateway by end of this week due to no empty evac capability.
• Terminal Grangemouth - No issues, yard currently at 70% capacity.

Adriatic Sea / Black Sea / Levante / Northern Africa

• No updates

Ukraine/Russia updates:

• Please visit general updates here, and the FAQ in this link.

Customer Service

Bookings are received and processed regularly. Reach out to your local customer service representative here.

You can do all your transactions digitally. Easy. Online. Everywhere.

• We kindly ask you to review the possibility of covering your shipments by Sea-Waybill instead of Original Bills of Lading, if legally and commercially acceptable.
  
• For the surrender of Original Bills of Lading prior to container release at destination, please contact your local office for detailed guidance, they are happy to assist you. Please also consider electronic payment channels.
  
• You can do all your transactions digitally – from placing a booking to sending a shipping instruction. 
  
• To monitor your shipments, go ahead and use the Hapag-Lloyd Navigator, our new one-screen dashboard with real-time view on all your shipments. Alternatively, visit the Online Business section at our Hapag-Lloyd website for  vessel/container/booking status and sailing schedules information.
  
• Even though your sales counterpart will not be able to visit you in person, we will continue to stay close to you via phone and where possible even via video chat.
  
• Our teams are fully operational.
• Get info and updates by subscribing to our CustomerNEWS.