Dear Customers

Herewith we would like to update you on the current operational challenges regarding container transport within the Port of Antwerp.
We hereby refer to the message we received from our main haulage partner

Quote

We would like to inform you of a number of significant developments currently affecting the logistics landscape across major European ports, including the Port of Antwerp, where our core operations are based.
We have always been committed to deliver efficient, reliable solutions. However, the broader operational environment is currently undergoing considerable strain, presenting challenges that impact the entire supply chain.
These trends are not isolated to Antwerp, but are also becoming increasingly visible in other key hubs such as the Port of Rotterdam, Bremerhaven and Hamburg.

Industry-wide challenges:

Macro-economic situation

The current global geopolitical situation has once more brought turbulence into the supply chains across the world, resulting in imbalance in volumes and increasing amounts of transshipments in the ports.
As these transshipments have a higher priority in handling on the terminals, this impacts the lead-times for barging and trucking.

ULCVs

The rise of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) has resulted in larger volumes of containers being handled per single marine vessel call.
While this evolution reflects the pursuit of economies of scale, it also leads to intense volume concentration at the container terminals.

Terminal capacity

While marine vessel capacity has increased, the physical footprint and infrastructure of many container terminals, including those in Antwerp, remain largely unchanged today.
This puts a strain on terminal throughput and container handling speed

Terminal free time / yard opening

Terminals have reduced the storage free-time of import containers to avg. 5 calendar days.
Export containers may now only be delivered within a 3 to 5 day window, with yard openings and closings closely tied to the vessel ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival).
This limited flexibility can result in the need for interim storage solutions or rebooking of transport operations.

Timeslots

The timeslot reservation systems used by the terminals are frequently booked-out well in advance. This makes same-day or even next-day planning increasingly difficult, especially for daytime operations.
As a result, a growing proportion of drayage is now taking place at night, with associated logistical and financial implications.

Waiting times & productivity loss

Due to unpredictable congestion at terminals, driver productivity has been significantly impacted.
Delays often lead to missed handlings and pushbacks to the following day, reducing the number of trips per vehicle per day.

Traffic congestion in- and around Antwerp

As Antwerp is investing in road facilities for the future, this implies that several construction works are being executed, leading to traffic jams and deviation increasing the lead time for pick-up and/or drop-off of a container, resulting in reduced capacity and higher transportation costs.

Rising costs

The past few months, additional operational surcharges have been introduced to promote off-peak operations.
Both DP World and PSA Terminals in Antwerp now require mandatory ‘Spreading surcharge’-fees for pick-up during daytime hours.
These costs, along with increased staffing and equipment needs for night operations, add further pressure across the logistics chain.

Unquote

We can assure you that ECU Worldwide Belgium and Nordicon is closely working together with the partners to limit the impact to your shipments even though we greatly depend on a lot of external factors as mentioned above.
 
Our partner is taking following measures to ensure flexibility as much as possible.
• Scaling-up night-time logistics operations  
• Whenever possible pre-book timeslots and adapt their planning to dynamic yard schedules.
• Maintaining constant dialogue with terminal operators to stay informed and responsive.
 
We assure you that, together with all parties, we are doing everything in our power to limit the impact of these industry-wide challenges on your shipments and unavoidable extra costs as much as possible but we kindly ask for your continued understanding, and close collaboration as we navigate these challenges together.


Kind regards,

Nordicon export Team