Growing pressure is hitting Antwerp and Rotterdam terminals because unusually low Rhine water keeps limiting container barge movements, shifting cargo onto rail and road networks that are already constrained.
Gunther Ginckels of SeasC4U told The Loadstar that barges near Duisburg-Ruhrort ran at about two-thirds of normal capacity, and vessels further upstream carried much smaller loads.
Cargo keeps moving, but carrying capacity is much reduced, transport costs are higher, transit times are longer and less predictable, and inland terminals, rail networks and trucking markets take on displaced cargo with higher cost and delays.
In some affected areas road transport is turning into the only practical option since rail is full, and even with heavy truck use there is reportedly not enough capacity for 15% to 30% of affected cargo volumes.
A port of Rotterdam spokesperson told The Loadstar it saw no disruption to its services at present and that the port stayed fully operational with goods flowing as normal.
