In a recent update to customers, Maersk announced a temporary shift of its transatlantic TA5 service calls from London Gateway back to Felixstowe, effective May 22. The decision comes just months after Maersk switched its UK hub from Felixstowe to London Gateway. The carrier stated, "Due to the current operational situation in London, [the] TA5 London Gateway call will be changing to Felixstowe Terminal, 22 May onwards. There will be no changes to the service rotation." The next two UK calls on the service, operated jointly with Hapag-Lloyd, will be at Felixstowe, with the 2,750 TEU Cape Corfu arriving on May 22 and the 2,600 TEU Puerto Limon Express on May 29.
The move highlights the ongoing challenges posed by port congestion across Northern Europe. Kuehne + Nagle’s SeaExplorer platform reported that yard utilisation at London Gateway had risen to 83%, though measures like additional labour from Southampton and block stacking are being implemented to address severe berth congestion.
Mark Rosenberg, Chief Commercial Officer at DP World Europe, noted that several factors are affecting shipping and cargo flows through European ports and terminals. Recent changes to shipping alliances are a significant contributor. DP World is leveraging its network to support customers during this period.
The congestion is causing ripple effects across the region. For instance, 12 vessels were reported anchored around the Channel awaiting entry to Antwerp, which has faced congestion since a one-day dockers' strike on April 27. Delays are seriously impacting vessel scheduling. The 6,350 TEU Brighton, operated by ONE, has been anchored outside Le Havre since May 10, now scheduled to arrive in Antwerp on May 18, 10 days late. Similarly, the 4,100 TEU MSC Vidisha R, on MSC’s Ecuador-North Europe-US service, is now expected in Antwerp on May 18, instead of the original May 5.
Other North Europe hubs like Rotterdam and Hamburg are also experiencing severe disruptions. Hamburg’s container yards are at 85% utilisation, expected to rise over 90% in the coming days, with up to eight hours delay at rail terminals. Rotterdam’s Hutchison Delta II terminal is facing labour shortages, leading to feeder vessels waiting two days and high inter-terminal transfer times.
In response to these challenges, ONE announced the launch of three new services between Rotterdam and UK east coast ports. Loop 1 connects Rotterdam and Tyne; Loop 2 links three Rotterdam terminals with Teesport and Grangemouth; and Loop 3 runs between Rotterdam and Immingham. The first Loop 2 sailing was scheduled to depart Rotterdam on May 15.