Major European Port Rail Shutdowns to Cause Severe Congestion
Publish Time: 2025-07-21 Origin: Site
Hamburg Port Shutdown Schedule
Critical Dates:
August 2025:
2–3 Aug: 24-hour full closure
9–10 Aug: 24-hour full closure
October 2025:
3–5 Oct: Daily 11-hour closures (07:00–18:00)
6 Oct: 5-hour closure (07:00–12:00)
Affected Terminals:
CTH (Eurogate) & CTB (Burchardkai) – Zero rail access during closures.
Secondary Disruption: Berlin-Northern Ports Corridor
August 4, 2025 – April 2026:
Closed Route: Berlin ? Hamburg/Bremenhaven/Wilhelmshaven.
Impacted Trade Lanes:
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary
German inland port of Königs Wusterhausen.
Operational Recommendations
?? For Shippers/Forwarders:
Pre-book rail slots outside closure windows.
Switch to trucking for time-sensitive cargo (expect 30% cost surge).
Reroute via:
Rotterdam (for Baltic shipments)
Antwerp (for Central/Eastern Europe) – though still congested.
Real-time tracking: Use Hamburg Port’s live congestion dashboard.
Market Context
Compounding Factors:
Red Sea diversions already strain European ports (Antwerp delays: 7+ days).
Pre-tariff rush (US/EU) further clogs alternatives.
Silver Lining:
October closures avoid peak Christmas shipping season.