European Ports: Port Strategy - Ports must be prepared for every eventuality

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were discussing the heavy burden of overcapacity in Northern European ports, but today those same hubs now face the other extreme of too much traffic and what to do with it all, writes Carly Fields.

Three things have conspired to create tailbacks at Rotterdam and Hamburg, which have been lengthening since the start of the year. First up is an apparent disregard for on-time vessel calls by shipping lines. Why stick to a schedule, when you can turn up whenever suits you and watch a port – desperate to retain business in a cut-throat market – kowtowing to your every loading or unloading need.
Second, the summer holiday season in the Northern hemisphere has taken its toll on the available workforce. Third, new equipment and the subsequent faster handling of containers are also being blamed for the congestion.
None of these are the fault of Rotterdam or Hamburg port authorities, yet they are both having to scramble around to put policies in place to deal with an ever-increasingly backlog.
Thinking on its feet, Rotterdam announced it would divert inland waterway barges and feeder ships transporting export and import containers from the congested ECT Delta and Euromax terminals to three smaller terminals, where consignments will be consolidated for onward transportation to the larger facilities.

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Port of Rotterdam = Europe's largest port

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were discussing the heavy burden of overcapacity in Northern European ports, but today those same hubs now face the other extreme of too much traffic and what to do with it all, writes Carly Fields.

Three things have conspired to create tailbacks at Rotterdam and Hamburg, which have been lengthening since the start of the year.

First up is an apparent disregard for on-time vessel calls by shipping lines.

Why stick to a schedule, when you can turn up whenever suits you and watch a port – desperate to retain business in a cut-throat market – kowtowing to your every loading or unloading need.

Second, the summer holiday season in the Northern hemisphere has taken its toll on the available workforce. Third, new equipment and the subsequent faster handling of containers are also being blamed for the congestion.

None of these are the fault of Rotterdam or Hamburg port authorities, yet they are both having to scramble around to put policies in place to deal with an ever-increasingly backlog.

Thinking on its feet, Rotterdam announced it would divert inland waterway barges and feeder ships transporting export and import containers from the congested ECT Delta and Euromax terminals to three smaller terminals, where consignments will be consolidated for onward transportation to the larger facilities.

Read more: Port Strategy - Ports must be prepared for every eventuality