Maersk has announced a significant adjustment to its TA5 transatlantic shipping route, citing persistent congestion issues at northern European ports, Trans.Info reported. Starting June 25, ships operating on this route will discontinue calls at Rotterdam. Instead, they will travel directly from Felixstowe in the UK to Hamburg, Germany. 

The company attributed this change to "current operational constraints" that have made maintaining a regular schedule increasingly challenging. This move reflects a broader response to ongoing capacity issues at Europe's largest container port.

In addition to modifying service routes, Maersk introduced an inland congestion surcharge in May. This €10 per TEU fee applies to all inland transportation (by road, rail, barge, or intermodal) serving Rotterdam and Antwerp. The surcharge aims to address disruptions stemming from declining land-side operational efficiency and will remain in place as long as necessary to support adequate shipping capacity.

Other shipping companies are also experiencing delays. Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) warned clients in June about extended transit times on two of its services due to “difficult market conditions” and bottlenecks in the supply chain.

Data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence shows that, in early June, up to 11 ships were anchored outside Rotterdam awaiting port entry. Similar congestion is reported at Hamburg and Antwerp, with six and five ships waiting, respectively. While Antwerp avoided severe delays earlier in the year thanks to protests urging port improvements, delays have persisted, and according to Drewry’s analysis, average waiting times at Antwerp increased from 32 hours in early April to 44 hours in late May. This represents a 37% rise.

Hamburg has experienced even more significant delays, with some operators reporting waiting times of up to six days. Asian carriers, including HMM, have also highlighted ongoing bottlenecks in the port.

Analysts attribute the congestion to multiple factors, including high shipping demand, structural changes in shipping alliances such as the collapse of 2M and the formation of Gemini Cooperative, hydrological issues like low water levels, and strikes disrupting operations in both the public and private sectors.

Drewry’s analysts expect these issues could persist at least until the end of the peak transport season in August 2025, unless further disruptions occur or market conditions in Asia and North America stabilize.

Despite these difficulties, Maersk reported a significant increase in profits, posting $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, a sevenfold rise compared to previous periods. The company doubled its expenditure on ships and infrastructure to $1.4 billion, despite ongoing market uncertainties and disruptions in the Red Sea. Maersk’s CEO Vincent Clerc credited the results to strong internal performance and favorable macroeconomic factors early in the year.

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