Maersk has published its monthly update on the European market corresponding to June 2026, reviewing the operational situation in its main maritime, rail and air corridors, as well as the upcoming regulatory changes impacting supply chains with destination or origin in Europe. The company notes that the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable and that, despite reports of a rapprochement between Iran and the United States towards a peace agreement, attacks continue and navigation conditions in the Strait of Hormuz still show no clear signs of improvement. The shipping company maintains priority on the safety of its personnel, its assets, and the cargo of its customers, and will continue to operate with heightened caution in the region.
On the commercial front, Maersk has launched a new service to improve connectivity between Northern Europe, Italy, and Egypt. The Baltic Sea – SLA service connects Gdansk, Bremerhaven, and Genoa (Vado Ligure) with Port Said and Alexandria, with a direct route to Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. According to the company, the line will reduce dependence on indirect routes, shorten transit times, and provide greater reliability compared to existing alternatives.
In the terminal sector, several European entry points are recording high occupancy levels in their hazardous cargo yards, especially in Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, and Hamburg. Maersk urges its customers to prioritize the collection of units with hazardous cargo as soon as possible to relieve congestion. In Belgium, the terminals in Antwerp are facing disruptions due to strong winds forecasted, potentially slowing down operations. In the Netherlands, conditions at the Rotterdam terminals remain particularly tense, with high yard utilization, lower availability of cranes, and prolonged waiting times for barges and feeders; several terminals have requested the urgent collection of import units to prevent further congestion.
Regarding regulatory matters, the United Kingdom has confirmed the extension of its emissions trading system (UK ETS) to domestic maritime activities effective from July 1, 2026. Maersk recommends that its customers incorporate this factor into the planning of their British-connected supply chains.
Rail operations from Hamburg and Bremerhaven are currently affected by infrastructure improvement works on the German network, limiting available capacity on tracks and impacting internal connections. Although services continue to operate, restrictions are causing delays in certain corridors and reducing the overall flexibility of the network. Maersk advises planning for additional margins in rail movements and considering modal alternatives where possible.
In the air segment, disruptions in the Middle East continue to affect services between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. WorldACD points to signs of a slow recovery, although cancellations and diversions have increased pressure on available capacity at various entry points. Maersk has deployed air and multimodal solutions using stable hubs outside the Gulf region to maintain the flow of cargo.
The company is also enhancing its specialized air capabilities for the pharmaceutical sector, with a new controlled air network service between Europe and the United States, designed for passive and active pharmaceutical shipments fully compliant with GDP requirements, extreme end-to-end temperature control, monitoring, and handling standards. The shipping company is preparing to extend this controlled pharmaceutical product network to the Europe-China corridor before the end of the year.
Maersk also dedicates a section to the upcoming changes in European customs regulations. From July 1, 2026, the European Union will eliminate the de minimis threshold for tariff-free goods in e-commerce. A flat fee of 3 euros per item within a shipment will apply, meaning that each individual tariff line of a package will be subject to the new charge. The measure is temporary, pending the implementation of the complete customs duties regime expected for 2028. The shipping company advises businesses shipping to the EU to update their sales platforms, adjust tariff calculations in the payment process, and decide whether to absorb the extra cost or pass it on to the end customer.
In parallel, other regulatory and commercial developments are shaping the operational environment. Since June, digital ATA carnets will start to replace the paper version in the European Union, United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland, allowing for the electronic management of temporary imports and exports of professional equipment and exhibition goods, with a transition period during which both formats will coexist. In July, Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with competitiveness and dialogue with the United Kingdom—especially regarding post-Brexit customs provisions—as priority axes. Likewise, the European Union and the United States have agreed to eliminate tariffs on a series of industrial goods and apply preferential conditions to certain agricultural products, subject to safeguards.