Europe, Middle East and Africa

Wallenius Wilhelmsen reroutes all Red Sea transits until further notice - for more information, click here.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Bad Weather in Atlantic December Schedule Disruption

Severe weather systems in the Atlantic are impacting our vessel schedules, with estimated delays of approximately 5–7 days.
As a result, schedule adjustments have been made for the following vessels: EB529 ARC Defender, EA527 ARC Honor, ED521 Traviata, EX502 Morning Concert,
ED523 Carmen, and EA529 Morning Pride.
We are monitoring weather and port conditions and adjusting plans as needed to protect the schedule.

Red Sea: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Continues Precautionary Rerouting to Avoid Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In line with its commitment to transparent communication and the highest standards of safety, Wallenius Wilhelmsen announces the continuation of its precautionary rerouting of all fleet transits to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The safety of our crews, cargo, and vessels remains our foremost priority. This decision follows the ongoing security challenges impacting maritime operations in the region.

This precautionary measure will remain in effect as we closely monitor developments in collaboration with marine authorities, industry partners, and relevant stakeholders. Normal transits will only resume once it is formally assessed to be safe to do so. Wallenius Wilhelmsen remains fully committed to minimizing potential impacts on customer supply chains and will continue to provide timely updates as the situation evolves.

Middle East: Smooth Vessel Operations Maintained Across Middle East Ports.

Vessel operations across ports in the Middle East are proceeding smoothly, despite recent regional challenges.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen is closely monitoring the situation and working with cross-functional teams to minimize any potential impact on cargo flow and vessel schedules. These proactive measures are helping to avoid significant delays or disruptions, ensuring a steady and reliable service for customers throughout the region.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen remains committed to providing timely updates and maintaining transparency as circumstances evolve.

Our port teams continue working diligently to ensure safe and efficient operations. Below is a brief summary of service status at key ports.

Antwerp (ICO ANR)

With fewer vessel calls, operations are generally smooth. From late November to early January, auto imports may face congestion and longer processing times, mitigated through close coordination with the terminal. High & Heavy imports are currently unaffected.

Zeebrugge (ICO ZEE)
Peak activity occurs when vessels arrive over weekends. Where possible, we adjust rotation to limit delays. Any extended waiting times are mainly linked to berth congestion rather than terminal capacity.

Bremerhaven
Shore-power construction at Nordhafen East has been completed, and WW aims to be among the first RoRo users. Port calls and volumes are lower year-on-year. Maintenance of port infrastructure and water depths remains a challenge, although significant federal investment has been announced.

Luanda
Ongoing renovation at the Noatum (ex-Unicargas) terminal limits RoRo suitability, so calls are handled at DP World Luanda, increasing traffic and congestion. When needed, vessels are diverted to Sogester Container Terminal to reduce waiting times.

Dar es Salaam
Planned protests on 9 December may affect city operations; we will advise of any impact to vessel calls. Existing port congestion is currently causing berthing delays of around 1–2 days.

Reunion
An unannounced strike by SGM Stevedoring linked to salary negotiations is preventing their-operated vessels from berthing until the dispute is resolved.

Vehicle processing
Zeebrugge: Our vehicle processing center is open and operational. Hours of operation remain the same and staff is equipped with safety materials to prevent exposure.

Dubai: Our vehicle processing center is open and operational. Staff is continuing to work closely with customers to support increased storage requirements.

Equipment processing
Zeebrugge: Our equipment processing center is open and operational. As storage capacity continues to be stretched, we encourage customers to pick up their cargo as soon as possible. Regular hours of operation remain in place.

Dubai: Our equipment processing center is open and operational. We are working with our customers to support their additional storage requirements.

As OEMs continue to operate with varied manufacturing schedules and as they face new and potentially unforeseen challenges, we are committed to supporting our customers to maintain a healthy supply chain. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs further.