Major European Port Rail Shutdowns to Cause Severe Congestion

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:

1. Pre-book rail slots outside closure windows.

2. Switch to trucking for time-sensitive cargo (expect 30% cost surge).

3. Reroute via:

• Rotterdam (for Baltic shipments)

• Antwerp (for Central/Eastern Europe) – though still congested.

4. 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.