Northern European Ports Face Another Round of Disruption
There’s a bit happening across Northern Europe’s major ports at the moment, with industrial action hitting Germany and the Netherlands almost back to back.
In Germany, port workers represented by the ver.di union have been involved in a 48 hour warning strike covering Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Emden, Brake and Wilhelmshaven.
The dispute is around wages, with workers rejecting a proposed 5.1% increase and seeking an 8.2% increase, or a minimum increase of €2.50 per hour. The latest strike began on September 2 and ran through September 4, affecting vessel operations, terminal handling and inland cargo movements.
And just as the German action winds down, workers at major Dutch ports, including Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Zeeland, are taking industrial action on September 4.
This comes at a time when congestion is already causing headaches across Northern Europe.
Rotterdam, Hamburg and Bremerhaven are all currently among the more congested ports globally, with more than 160,000 TEU reportedly waiting at anchor across the three ports at the end of last week. Globally, around 5% of deep-sea container capacity is currently tied up due to delays, congestion and other operational issues.
So what does this mean if you have cargo moving through Europe?
It doesn't necessarily mean your shipment will be delayed, but it does mean there is less room for things to go wrong without creating a knock-on effect.
A strike can affect more than just loading and unloading containers. Vessel movements, tug availability, terminal operations, road, rail and inland transport can all be affected, which can make it harder to clear any backlog once operations return to normal.
For Australian importers and exporters, this is another good reminder that port congestion can have a much wider impact on your supply chain than just a vessel arriving a few days late.
If you have cargo moving through Northern Europe, it's worth keeping a close eye on your vessel schedule and allowing a little extra time where possible.
Sometimes it's not one major disruption that causes the problem, it's several smaller issues happening at the same time.