Dear valued customer

We hereby inform you that, as of August 1st, 2025, a temporary congestion surcharge of €35 or $40 per container will be applied to all shipments routed via the ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Dunkirk.

Despite months of absorbing the impact of operational delays and associated surcharges, the extent of ongoing port congestion has made this financially unsustainable for both Shipex and our trucking partners. Please note that this surcharge applies only to container trucking services handled by Shipex.

1. What this surcharge covers

The surcharges reflects a combination of congestion-related costs that are now unavoidable, including:

• Terminal-imposed surcharges: Peak hour surcharges introduced by several terminals in Antwerp and Rotterdam due to limited handling windows and high demand during peak hours.
• Truck waiting times at empty depot or terminal, with documented cases of drivers waiting up to 6 hours to collect empty containers or redeliver full ones. Extensive waiting times will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
• Forced relocations of containers: Terminals like APMT Rotterdam are actively transferring container units to external depots to alleviate quay pressure – requiring additional unplanning trucking and coordination efforts
• Rerouted vessel services: Shipping lines have started omitting above-mentioned ports altogether on certain services, diverting port calls to alternatives like Zeebrugge in response to terminal congestion and berthing delays.

2. Broader context: Structural congestion in North Europe

Current data and industry reports highlight:

• An average delay of 4-6 days across the five most-called North European ports
• 1 in every 3 vessels arrives off-schedule, disrupting container availability and planning
• Omission rates in Antwerp and Rotterdam have nearly reached pandemic-era highs
• Terminals offer minimal flexibility on yard opening windows, resulting in missed cut-offs or extra storage needs
• Increased productivity loss among truckers due to delays, rebookings and limited slot availability
• Traffics works and customs transitions in and around port areas are compounding disruptions

3. What we continue to do

As your logistics partner, we remain focused on ensuring continuity and visibility in your supply chain. We are:

• Adjusting plans based on real-time port, vessel and terminal data
• Securing reliable capacity with our trusted trucking and depot partners
• Coordinating proactively with all stakeholders to mitigate risk
• Working closely with you to align pick-up/delivery and document flows

Please note that this surcharge is a temporary measure based on current circumstances. We are monitoring the situation closely, and the surcharge will be lifted as soon as operational conditions at the affected port return to a sustainable level.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding this topic, do not hesitate to contact your Shipex representative.

The Shipex team