Ocean and Key Ports Update
After the United States Government imposed tariffs on certain EU commodities entering the country, the EU has responded with a series of countermeasures to ‘protect European businesses, workers and consumers from the impact of these trade restrictions’ (European Commission).
The overall impact these measures will have on demand and sourcing between the two parties is difficult to predict at this stage, particularly with the situation changing on a very frequent basis. We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with our customers to minimise any impact. We will keep you informed of the latest developments as soon as possible; please continue to visit our dedicated Rate Announcements page for regular updates.
In the north of Europe, Hutchinson Ports Delta II terminal in Rotterdam is back to full operational productivity after a month of slowdown of operations in light of negotiations between the terminal and the workers.
Our teams are reviewing all upcoming lineups and reassessing previously planned contingencies for the upcoming week. Although operations are back to normal and a tentative agreement between the terminal and workers is in place, a timeline for the vote of the agreement has not yet been set. To find out the latest updates, please visit the dedicated advisory page.
In Bremerhaven, several services are arriving late due to bad weather en route to the port and the vessel lineup has now been adjusted until week 12. All terminals in Antwerp continue to experience a congested line-up due to the phase in and phase out of vessel plans, combined with late vessel arrivals from previous ports. To help alleviate the pressures on the terminals, customers are kindly asked to pick up their import units as soon as possible after discharge, and to please pick up their longstanding units at their earliest convenience.
In the south of Europe, terminals at Port Said in Egypt and Port of Tangier in Morocco, are seeing an increase in yard density. In Port Said, this is expected to continue throughout March and our teams are putting actions in place to control yard stability. In Tangier, the increased yard density is a result of rollings across several services, and a high number of reefer discharges expected in week 12. Our teams are reviewing berthing windows and planning any actions needed to keep customers’ supply chains moving.
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Air Freight Update
Air freight global demand growth slowed according to the latest figures from December 2024 by WorldACD, with Europe in particular seeing import and intra-European trade contracting year-on-year by 5% and 7.3% respectively.
Exports from Europe, however, grew by over 15% - most significantly on Europe-Asia trade routes. Please contact the Maersk Air Cargo team to discuss your needs between Europe and Asia and our service connecting Billund, Denmark, with both Hangzhou and Zhengzhou in China.
Global air freight rates declined slightly across January and February in 2025, but they remain above 2024 rates and the outlook varies heavily across different regions and remains uncertain.
Please click here to find helpful information about the Maersk air freight network and our services to and from Europe.
Inland Update
In Rotterdam, the slowdown of operations at Hutchinson Ports Delta II has affected ocean lineup, and consequently inland operations to and from the terminal, for several weeks. In week 11, terminal operations have resumed at full capacity in light of a tentative agreement between he terminal and the workers, however a timeline for the vote of the agreement has not yet been set.
This means that contingency plans for week 13 and onward will not be implemented, however our teams will continue reviewing the plans and monitoring the situation at the terminal. To help plan your inland transport to and from Rotterdam, our teams will be updating the dedicated advisory page in case of any updates to the situation.
Earlier in March, an inland barge has collided with a bridge on its way out of the Fruit Terminal in Antwerp. As a result, all marine traffic sailing via the bridge has been suspended while the Terminal assess the situation and possible damage. Our teams remain in close contact with the Terminal and expect traffic to resume in week 12. For the latest information, please visit the advisory page.
For more information on ways to connect seamlessly with our rail, road, and barge solutions across Europe, please visit our Inland solutions and services across Europe.
Customs Update
The major headlines in the world of customs in recent weeks have surrounded the US Government and its import tariff policies. We will continue to keep you updated on the situation as it develops, but please note that measures are changing frequently. In the meantime, businesses are advised to make sure the commodity codes of their products are correct to make it easier to anticipate any impacts.
Elsewhere, a new proposal to simplify the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has been proposed by the European Commission. Small businesses that are importing under 50 tonnes annually with under 100 tonnes of embedded CO2 will be exempt, while others will benefit from simplified processes. Read further details of the proposed CBAM update here and please reach out to your local Maersk representative for assistance in staying CBAM-compliant.
And finally, the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) has published updated Guidance on Preferential Rules of Origin, developed with EU Member States to improve clarity and compliance in trade.
This includes a new section on verifications of Proof of Origin, plus updates on changes to the rules of origin under the new EU-Chile agreement and the Revised Pan-Euro-Med Convention preferential agreements. Click here for more information.
Our teams at Maersk Customs Services are on hand to support with the ever-changing customs landscape and encourage customers to get in contact to discuss any of their needs at the border.
Ecommerce Update
As in customs, the US Government and its import tariff policies have made major headlines in the world of cross-border ecommerce. Import tariffs are not exclusive to the US – they are a global phenomenon with an impact on cross-border commerce, regardless of origin. Tariffs, wherever they might be coming from, could make cross-border ecommerce less attractive due to an increase in prices, and could particularly impact lower-priced retailers. Listen to the latest episode of our Beyond the Box podcast to find out more about the impact of new geopolitics developments, including tariffs, on supply chains and global trade.
For comparison, when ecommerce supply chains faced disruptions and high inflation following the pandemic, cross-border ecommerce revenues declined by -0.5% between 2021 and 20222, while overall ecommerce revenues still grew at a rate of 2.3%.
Elsewhere, data analytics remains a cornerstone in shaping the future of ecommerce. As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, the ecommerce landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace and companies are gaining valuable insights, optimising customer experiences, driving sales growth to new heights, and more. Data integrations and analytics in omnichannel fulfilment are particularly useful in streamlining order fulfilment and optimising returns processes.
And returns remain a burning topic in the ecommerce space with many businesses adding workers, warehousing space, and even entire departments to handle reverse logistics. In 2024, nearly 17 in 100 orders were returned, more than doubling since 2019.
While offering compelling returns proposition is becoming increasingly important for both ecommerce businesses and their consumers and improvements in brand loyalty and service experience, they remain a complex process. For businesses, having a clear ecommerce returns process can make them less costly, while offering an opportunity for optimisation.
To find out more about how our teams can help provide the best ecommerce delivery solutions for your business, visit our E-Delivery page.
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