Inland container shipping is once again under pressure in the Port of Rotterdam. The Alliance of Container Barge Operators (ACBO), representing 34 companies from the inland waterway sector, has sent an urgent letter to the Port of Rotterdam Authority. In it, the organisations warn of persistent waiting times, congestion and problems with container handling.
According to the alliance, the reliability and efficiency of container handling have deteriorated in recent years. Without additional measures, the companies involved do not expect any improvement in the short term. The letter, which according to trade journal Schuttevaer is in the possession of the editorial team, represents the sector’s most recent call to tackle the problems structurally.
A key point of criticism in the urgent letter concerns the digitalisation projects introduced in recent years to improve throughput in the port. The Nextlogic planning tool, in particular, has come under fire from the participating companies.
Nextlogic was developed to make the scheduling of inland waterway vessels more efficient and to reduce congestion at terminals. However, according to the ACBO, the results fall short of expectations. Inland waterway vessels still regularly face long waiting times before containers can be loaded or unloaded.
For inland container shipping, this means a loss of productivity, higher operational costs and increasing pressure on schedules. Ultimately, shippers, freight forwarders and consignees are also faced with delays in the logistics chain.
According to the alliance, there is a risk that more and more cargo will be shifted from inland waterway transport to road transport if the current situation persists. This would run counter to the logistics sector’s sustainability objectives and the ambition to transport more containers by water and rail.
The companies involved are therefore calling for additional handling capacity for inland waterway vessels at the Rotterdam terminals. In addition, they want a thorough evaluation of Nextlogic and a review of contract terms which, in their view, hinder the consolidation of container flows.
Further information on alternative transport solutions can be found on the pages about barge transport, intermodal transport and the TOP Platform.
The open letter has been signed by a large number of prominent players in the logistics sector. Signatories include DP World Intermodal, Contargo, HGK Logistics, H. Essers, Danser Group, Van Berkel Logistics, BTT Multimodal, West Brabant Corridor and Barge Terminal Born.
The broad support for the appeal underlines the extent of the concerns within the inland container shipping sector. The sector emphasises that reliable handling in Rotterdam is essential for a well-functioning logistics chain between seaports and the European hinterland.
…a single inland vessel can replace dozens of lorries? That is why inland waterway transport is seen as a key solution for reducing traffic congestion, emissions and pressure on the road network.
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