Europe, Middle East and Africa
October 1, 2025
Wallenius Wilhelmsen reroutes all Red Sea transits until further notice - for more information, click here.
On the ocean
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.
In ports and terminals
Our port teams continue working diligently to ensure safe and efficient operations. Below is a brief summary of service status at key ports.
Antwerp, Zeebrugge, and Ghent
A work slowdown by the Belgian Sea Pilots’ Association, in protest of proposed pension reforms, is disrupting operations at the ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge, and Ghent. Since Monday, October 6, pilotage has been limited to 08:00–17:00 daily, causing growing delays to vessel movements and related operations.
Our operations team is monitoring the situation and coordinating with local agents to minimize impacts on your shipments. We will provide updates as they become available. For shipment-specific questions, please contact your account representative.
Lunda: Noatum/Unicargas Terminal was suspended on 28 August 2025 for full rehabilitation under AD Ports Group’s development plan. Its closure pushed all former calls to DP World (DPW) Luanda Terminal, driving heavier traffic and causing RoRo delays of 1–3 days, with peaks up to 5–6 days. To mitigate, vessels such as MV Talia were diverted to Sogester Container Terminal, avoiding extended waiting times.
Durban: Terminal capacity remains well managed. Despite high cargo volumes and space pressure, coordination with transporters has enabled timely evacuation, with only minor impact on some vessel operations.
Dar es Salaam: Ongoing congestion is causing berthing delays of approximately 1–2 days.
Jebel Ali: Periodic congestion, with waiting times of around 1–2 days, can be expected subject to variations in inbound traffic.
Dammam: Expect 3–4 days of berth congestion caused by high import volume
At our processing centers
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.