Ocean and Key Ports Update
In the wake of the Golden Week national holiday period in China, demand out of Asia traditionally weakens with seasonal stock already approaching European shores. However, we are seeing demand bounce back a lot stronger in 2024, with higher call for ocean capacity.
We saw businesses advancing cargo throughout the year in 2024 in acts of planned resilience, shifting peak season as a result, and recent trends suggest that may continue. We encourage customers to reach out to their local Maersk representative to discuss their planning options for the coming months.
Weather conditions across the continent are signalling the arrival of autumn, with fog, wings, and rain potentially affecting operations at terminals. In Rotterdam, instances of fog are expected in week 45 and while vessel lineup currently remains healthy, our teams are keeping a close watch on the situation in light of the weather conditions. Public holidays in week 44 and delays in several services from previous ports, have put pressure on the vessel lineup in terminals in Bremerhaven, where our teams continue to monitor the situation.
Similarly, in Antwerp, vessel waiting times remain high due to late arrivals from previous ports. Maintenance work on the quay is currently underway and expected to last until the third week of December, contributing to an increased yard density at the terminal yard. Our teams continue to work with the terminal to mitigate the effects of late vessel arrivals, and kindly ask customers to pick up their containers as soon as possible after discharge, to help ease the pressure on the terminal yard.
In the Mediterranean ports, both terminals in Tangier remain stable with no reported waiting times. Due to delays on the AE7 service, our teams are monitoring high reefer plug density. Currently there is no restriction on the discharge of empty containers at either terminal. Likewise, terminal in Algeciras is seeing a workable line-up, with tight flexibility because of the pavement works and crane maintenance in place rest of the year. Our teams continue to monitor the situation and implement actions to mitigate the impact to customers.
To receive the latest updates on your cargo, sign up for ETA notifications.
Air Freight Update
Overall air freight volumes out of Europe are still reporting a slight increase of 4% year on year, while freight rates continue to decline to majority of destinations in a very competitive market environment (Xeneta).
However, moving into peak season, Europe reported a 7% week-on-week increase in spot rates in the last week of October. The prediction for the remainder of the year remains more conservative, as forwarders are expecting suppliers to mitigate disruptions in advance. Read about air freight’s role in navigating black swan events here.
E-commerce remains is continuing to be a growth driver for volumes out of Asia Pacific into Europe. Tonnages have recovered to their pre-Golden Week levels, with significant growth in volumes from Hong Kong – indicating a wider demand from these markets for the last two months of the year.
Maersk’s brand-new Boeing 777 freighters are in operation between Europe and China via our European Hubs in Liege and Billund, providing customers with state-of-the-art technology and faster transit times. Please reach out to your local air freight representatives to discuss how best to utilise our 777 aircraft and Europe – China connection.
Please click here to find helpful information about the Maersk air freight network and our services to and from Europe.
Inland Update
Elsewhere, as most businesses continue submitting their tender requirements and expectations to logistics providers, our teams are busy tailoring solutions for moving cargo between ports and inland locations. At this time, customers are increasingly looking for transportation management system solutions and supply chain integrations.
Such systems allow customers to manage varying levels of transportation complexity across multiple transport modes and geographic regions, increase the overall visibility in their supply chain and consequently reduce costs through improved decision making.
Maersk offers a wide range of data integration solutions that allow customers to interconnect data across different modalities. Find out more about Maersk Data Integrations.
Customs Update
The European Commission has issued the 2025 Combined Nomenclature (CN), effective 1st January 2025. This annual update is essential for classifying goods correctly, determining customs duties, and managing trade statistics within the EU. Make sure you comply with the updates; if you need expert advice, our trade and customs consulting services can assist, or click here for more information.
In October, Sweden, Luxemburg, and Finland successfully deployed AES (Automated Export System). As a result, by 2nd December 2024, all National Customs Administrations and Economic Operators must be ready to operate in AES.
The AES digitalises and modernises export and exit formalities as required by the Union Customs Code (UCC), ensuring electronic information exchanges between customs officers and exporters/declarants.
There are several efficiency benefits for traders, including: risk management - preventing fraud through document forgery, automatic risk analysis, and eliminating errors associated with the manual recording of declarations - reduced administrative costs, and predictability and time saving. Read more on AES here.
Elsewhere, starting on 4th November 2024, Swedish Customs will introduce the Entry in the Declarant’s Records (EIDR) in their new import system, with a transition deadline of 31st December 2024. This process requires goods to be declared by entering them in your records and presenting them to Swedish Customs, followed by a supplementary declaration at a later stage.
The initial entry must include details such as the commodity code, net mass, and country of origin, and each entry must be accompanied by a notification, which can cover up to 999 items. Authorisation is required to use EIDR, and you need to review your current authorisations to ensure they include the necessary codes for import procedures like release into free circulation, end-use, inward processing, and re-export. Find out more here.
Ecommerce Update
The European digital commerce sector is showing a mixed performance across the areas, based on the recent 2024 European E-commerce Report. Western Europe, traditionally the strongest B2C market in Europe, saw a small decline in e-commerce turnover, while Southern and Eastern Europe showed impressive growth at 14% and 15%, respectively.
At the same time, Central Europe saw a growth of 9%, while Northern Europe faced a 5% decline. The report highlights the efforts businesses need to comply with the changing legislation in the EU while pursuing growth and improving consumer experience.
In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), for example, cash on delivery (COD) remains a significant payment option, particularly due to the lower penetration of digital payments and credit cards compared to Western Europe. In markets like Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, COD is widely accepted by online retailers.
At recent eCommerceDB (ECDB) report shows that out of 45517 interviewed companies globally, only 16% offer cash on delivery as a payment option. At the same time, it is estimated that 30-40% of online stores in some CEE countries offer COD as a payment method.
Cash on delivery remains a crucial payment method in CEE markets because it addresses trust issues, lower credit card penetration, cultural preferences for cash, infrastructure challenges, and the specific needs of new e-commerce users.
As digital payments gain more traction, the significance of COD may reduce over time, but for now, it remains vital to the success of e-commerce in the region.
To find out more about how our teams can help provide the best ecommerce delivery solutions for your business, visit our E-Delivery page.
Useful Links
To sign up for the Maersk Europe customer newsletter, click here and update your preferences when prompted via email.
Check Maersk market updates from across other regions by clicking here.
Anything you need, we’re here to help
Logistics solutions
Contact us
Ready to ship?
By submitting this form, I agree to receive logistics related news and marketing updates from A. P. Moller-Maersk and its affiliated companies via e-mail. I understand that I can opt out of such Maersk communications at any time. To see how we process your personal data, please see our Privacy Notification.