Source: Splash247
Date: 26th May 2025

Bottlenecks spread from Europe to the US and China, adding strain to global supply chains

Port congestion that began in major Northern European hubs is now spilling over to ports in the US and China.

Key gateways such as Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven are facing severe backlogs, with vessel delays and limited inland logistics capacity due to low water levels on the Rhine.

A nationwide strike in Belgium further compounded the disruption.

Across the globe, similar congestion is emerging at key ports like Shenzhen, Los Angeles, and New York.

The increased wait times for berthing are leading to extended transit durations, disrupted inventory planning, and a push for shippers to stockpile inventory to mitigate supply risks.

Carriers are responding by rerouting ships and applying congestion surcharges to offset delays and costs.

These challenges are being intensified by policy-driven volatility. A temporary 90-day pause in US–China tariffs has spurred an early peak season in trans-Pacific trade, adding pressure to an already strained system.

As the pause nears its expiration, uncertainty around future tariff actions continues to cloud logistics strategies and heighten congestion concerns across global trade routes.