Strikes, Congestion and Logistics Disruptions: Risk Alert for Europe, India and South America Shipping Routes 罢工、拥堵与物流受阻：欧洲、印度、南美航线风险提示

Recently, ports across Europe, India and South America have been hit by successive strike warnings, worsening congestion and constrained inland transportation. While large-scale port shutdowns have not yet occurred, operational efficiency at several key nodes has declined, which has adversely impacted schedule reliability, cargo turnover and delivery arrangements at destination ports.

近期，欧洲、印度、南美部分港口接连出现罢工预警、拥堵加剧以及内陆运输受限等情况。虽然目前尚未形成大范围港口停摆，但部分节点港口作业效率下降，船期稳定性、货物周转以及目的港交付安排受到影响。

Planned Strike in the Netherlands on 4 September: Risks of Operational Disruption in Northwest Europe

The Dutch port union FNV Havens has announced a nationwide port strike scheduled from 11:15 to 19:00 local time on 4 September, lasting approximately 8 hours.

The strike will cover the ports of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Vlissingen and Terneuzen. Widespread worker participation may disrupt vessel loading and unloading, tugboat services and cargo-handling operations.

This action is a national social protest against the Dutch government’s proposed €6.5 billion social-security budget cuts, rather than a labour dispute between terminal employers and workers.

The strike remains a planned event. Negotiations may lead to its cancellation or adjustment. Actual impacts will depend on participation levels among terminals and maritime service providers.

Vessels calling during the strike window may face operational delays. Should the disruption escalate, waiting times for subsequent arrivals and yard throughput may deteriorate.

Freight forwarders and cargo owners are advised to closely monitor official carrier announcements and prepare contingency plans for potential schedule delays. Where feasible, consider alternative ports of call such as the Port of Hamburg and Port of Antwerp-Bruges to mitigate risks arising from single-port disruptions.

荷兰9月4日计划罢工，西北欧作业存中断风险

荷兰港口工会FNV Havens已发布公告，计划于当地时间9月4日11:15-19:00开展全国港口罢工，停工时长约8小时。本次行动涉及到鹿特丹港（Port of Rotterdam）、阿姆斯特丹港（Port of Amsterdam）、弗利辛恩港（Vlissingen）、泰尔讷曾港（Terneuzen），若相关岗位大范围参与停工，船舶装卸、拖轮服务、货物处理等环节可能受到影响。

本次罢工属于全国性社会抗议，工会诉求为反对荷兰政府拟推出的65亿欧元社会保障预算削减方案，并非码头雇主与劳工之间的劳资纠纷。罢工目前仅为计划状态，不排除后续谈判推动行动取消或调整的可能性，实际影响程度取决于各码头、海事服务商的参与规模。

对于计划在罢工期间靠泊的船舶，可能出现作业推迟情况。如果停工影响范围扩大，不排除后续靠泊等待时间增加、堆场周转效率下降。货代与货主可持续跟进船公司官方公告，提前做好船期延后预案，条件允许前提下，可评估汉堡港（Port of Hamburg）、安特卫普-布鲁日港（Port of AntwerpBruges）作为备选分流目的港，降低单一港口停工带来的冲击。

Mounting Congestion at the Port of Rotterdam: Multiple Pressures Straining Supply Chains

As a leading European container hub, the Port of Rotterdam is experiencing growing pressure reflected in rising terminal yard utilisation and extended waiting times for certain vessels. The situation stems from a combination of factors including Red Sea rerouting, peak European import season and constrained inland barge traffic:

• Cargo volumes keep surging as vessels reroute around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea, placing heavier operational burdens on Northwest European ports.
• Arrivals are amplified by the Q3 European import stocking cycle, driving higher cargo inflows and straining terminal capacity.
• Low water levels on the Rhine River have restricted barge draft limits and reduced inland waterway throughput. Containers cannot be moved efficiently to inland European hinterlands, occupying valuable yard space within the port complex.

The Rhine serves as a critical inland waterway linking Rotterdam with industrial heartlands in Germany, France, Switzerland and beyond. With barge capacity constrained, some cargo has shifted to road and rail transport, though these modes also face capacity limits and upward pressure on logistics costs.

If Rhine water levels do not improve materially in the near term, inland waterway performance will likely remain constrained. Cargo owners are recommended to build extra buffers into delivery-time expectations for Europe-bound shipments.

鹿特丹港拥堵加剧，多重因素叠加施压供应链

作为欧洲头部集装箱枢纽，鹿特丹港（Port of Rotterdam）近期压力增加，主要表现为堆场利用率上升以及部分船舶等待时间增加。造成这一情况的原因并非单一因素，而是红海绕航、欧洲进口旺季以及内河运输受限共同影响。

其一，红海航线改道带来货量持续涌入，大量绕行好望角的船舶集中抵达西北欧口岸，抬高港口作业负荷。其二，进入欧洲三季度进口备货周期，市场进口货量集中到港，码头作业压力上升。其三，莱茵河遭遇低水位，受吃水约束，内河驳船装载能力出现明显下降，内河疏运效率下滑，大量集装箱难以及时转运至欧洲内陆腹地，进一步占用港区堆场库容。

莱茵河是鹿特丹港连通德、法、瑞士等内陆工业区的关键内河通道。驳船运力受限之后，部分货流尝试转向公路、铁路运输，但公路、铁路同样存在运力约束，物流成本存在上行压力。如果莱茵河水位短期内无法明显恢复，内河运输能力仍可能受到限制，建议货主适度拉长欧线货物交付周期预期，预留充足缓冲时间。

Review of India Port Strike Risks: Watch for Recurring Labour-Management Tensions

Unions representing six major Indian ports had planned an indefinite strike starting 28 August across 12 major state-owned ports, involving roughly 20 000 port workers. Demands centred on salary revisions, pension schemes and improved welfare benefits.

Prior to the scheduled start date, India’s port and shipping authorities held negotiations with unions and signed a memorandum of understanding. The strike was therefore deferred and never implemented.

During the strike alert phase, stricter inspection procedures slowed cargo processing at the Nhava Sheva (JNPT) terminal. Yard and inland container freight station (CFS) throughput experienced volatility at the Port of Mundra.

Although this industrial action was averted, labour negotiations at India’s state-owned ports tend to be protracted, and further protest actions cannot be ruled out.

Companies with India-related shipping exposure should continue monitoring negotiations between unions and port authorities. Pay close attention to yard utilisation, container pick-up efficiency and inspection workflows to avoid extra costs stemming from operational delays.

印度港口罢工风险复盘，警惕劳资关系反复扰动

印度六大港口工会曾计划发起8月28日起的12个国有主要港口无限期罢工，涉及约2万名港口工人，诉求集中在薪酬调整、养老金与福利待遇改善方面。

在罢工预定启动前，印度港口航运主管部门与工会完成谈判，双方签署谅解备忘录，罢工计划被推迟，并未实际落地。

罢工预警阶段，那瓦舍瓦港（Nhava-Sheva/JNPT）码头查验环节收紧，货物处理时效有所下降；蒙德拉港（Mundra）堆场与内陆CFS仓库流转效率出现波动。虽然本次工业行动没有发生，但印度国有港口劳资谈判周期较长，后续仍存在再次发起抗议行动的可能性。

对于涉及印度航线的企业，后续仍需关注工会与港口管理部门谈判进展，尤其留意堆场利用率、提箱效率以及查验环节变化，避免因操作延误产生额外费用。

Backlogs Persist Following Pilot Disputes in Argentina

Although the recent pilotage dispute in Argentina has been formally resolved through a negotiated agreement, ports are still working to clear the resulting backlog. Several ports along South America’s east coast remain in recovery mode, and normal schedule reliability has yet to be fully restored.

Disruptions to pilotage services created long queues of container and bulk vessels waiting for berthing and sailing at ports including Buenos Aires, Rosario and Bahía Blanca. Maritime media estimated that between 140 and 185 vessels were affected at the peak of the crisis. Ports have reopened following the agreement; nevertheless, vessel queuing and customs-clearance backlogs have not been fully eliminated.

To bypass Argentinian port delays, many carriers have adjusted calling sequences. Some vessels make temporary calls at the Port of Montevideo in Uruguay for transshipment. This practice has introduced schedule disruptions across South America east-bound trades and lengthened overall transshipment lead-times.

Exporters shipping to South America are advised against setting overly tight delivery deadlines. Confirm potential changes to vessel port-call rotations with freight forwarders, and budget for extra charges that may arise from port diversion, transshipment and container detention.

阿根廷引航冲突遗留积压尚未完全出清

阿根廷此前引航员抗议事件虽已达成协议宣告结束，但港口积压船舶的清理工作仍在推进，南美东海岸部分港口目前仍处于恢复阶段，船期稳定性尚未完全恢复。

受引航服务中断影响，布宜诺斯艾利斯港（Port of Buenos Aires）、罗萨里奥港（Port of Rosario）、巴伊亚布兰卡港（Port of Bahía Blanca）等口岸积累了大量等待引航服务的集装箱船与散货船。多家海事媒体统计，冲突高峰期受影响船舶估算区间在140-185艘之间，协议签署后港口逐步恢复通航，但船舶排队进出港、清关的积压问题没有完全消解。

为规避阿根廷港口延误，不少船公司调整挂靠计划，部分船舶临时挂靠乌拉圭蒙得维的亚港（Port of Montevideo）开展中转操作，也造成南美东航线船期出现不同程度紊乱，中转流转时间有所拉长。

面向南美的出口企业，现阶段不建议设置过紧的交货周期，需要和货代确认船舶挂靠港变动风险，同时需要关注改港、中转以及滞箱可能带来的额外费用。

Supply-Chain Risk-Mitigation Recommendations

For ship-owners, cargo owners and logistics service providers, enhancing supply-chain adaptability is of primary importance. Key measures include:

• Keep track of real-time announcements issued by port authorities, trade unions and shipping carriers to prevent logistical missteps caused by outdated information.
• Where key ports face strike or congestion risks, evaluate alternative ports, transshipment routes and feasible transport-mode adjustments in advance.
• Establish controls over potential incremental-cost exposures, and maintain open information exchange with freight and shipping agents for cargo already in transit.

Current port-related challenges mostly manifest as localized drops in operational efficiency rather than global large-scale shutdowns. That said, labour tensions, hydrological conditions and routing shifts will continue to influence port performance. Regional delays will therefore remain a long-term concern for shipping-industry participants. Early risk identification and flexible logistics adjustments can help reduce losses driven by supply-chain volatility.

供应链风险应对建议

对于船东、货主和物流企业而言，目前更重要的是提高供应链调整能力。一方面，需要持续关注港口、工会以及船公司的最新通知，避免因信息滞后影响运输安排；另一方面，在重点港口存在停工或拥堵风险时，可提前评估替代港口、中转路径以及运输方式调整方案。同时，做好额外成本风险管控以及保持和货代、船代同步已经在途的货物的信息。

当前港口问题更多表现为局部节点效率下降，而非全球范围内的大面积停摆。但随着劳资关系、水文条件以及航线调整持续影响港口运行，区域性延误已经成为航运企业需要长期关注的问题。提前识别潜在风险，灵活调整物流方案，有助于降低供应链波动带来的损失。

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References：

FNV Havens.

PortNews.

Transport-Online.

World Ports Organization.

ITF Global.

PortNews.

Zhejiang Council for the Promotion of International Trade

Disclaimer: All data, analysis and commentary contained in this article are compiled based on public official releases and industry research reports, provided solely for industry exchange and reference purposes. This content shall not be construed as investment advice or binding operational commitments. Global shipping markets are subject to volatile influencing factors including macroeconomic cycles, geopolitical shifts and meteorological conditions, which introduce inherent uncertainties. All carriers and traders are recommended to formulate operational decisions after cross-referencing their own fleet structure, risk tolerance thresholds and latest real-time market intelligence.

免责声明：本文所载数据及分析均基于公开信息和行业研究报告，仅供行业交流与参考，不构成任何投资建议或操作承诺。航运市场受宏观经济、地缘政治、天气变化等多重因素影响，存在不确定性。读者在制定具体经营决策时，应结合自身船队结构、风险承受能力及最新市场动态综合判断。