Maersk has published its market situation report for Europe corresponding to March 2026, in which it warns that the continent's supply chains continue to be affected by simultaneous disruptions in the fields of maritime, air, and land transportation. The Danish shipping company points to the military conflict in the Middle East, adverse weather conditions recorded in recent weeks, and the high density of containers in the yards of several European terminals as the main pressure factors on logistics operations in the region.
Regarding maritime transport, Maersk indicates that it maintains constant vigilance over the evolution of the conflict in the Middle East and that it is adopting preventive measures to protect the safety of its crews, assets, and the cargo of its customers. The adverse weather episodes that have affected the Mediterranean and Northern Europe in recent weeks have caused disruptions in the schedules of regular line services, although the shipping company points to a gradual improvement in conditions and expects operational performance to stabilize in the coming weeks.
At the terminals in the western Mediterranean, operations continue to bear the cumulative effects of the disruptions of the preceding weeks. The density of containers in the terminal yards remains high, and Maersk's teams are working with facility operators to improve the accuracy of movements and estimated arrival times of vessels, in order to facilitate the planning of operations. The shipping company requests that its customers remove their import containers as quickly as possible after unloading, as a measure to relieve the pressure on the affected terminals. A similar situation is occurring at the terminals in the northern part of the continent, where Maersk's teams are detecting an increase in the dwell time of import containers in the yards and are also asking importers to proceed with the removal of outstanding units.
In the realm of land transport, Maersk confirms that rail services between Spain and France have returned to normal after the interruptions caused by storms and adverse weather conditions that affected trans-Pyrenean connections. Since February 28, the rail lines are operating regularly in both directions between Barcelona and Lyon (Loire-sur-Rhône) and between Barcelona and Toulouse (Fenouillet), and the Toulouse depot has officially reopened and accepts reservations normally. The interruption of these rail connections, which channel a significant part of intermodal container traffic between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, had added an additional factor of tension to supply chains already pressured by maritime disruptions.
In the Czech Republic, Maersk has made modifications to the general conditions for intermodal transport that will come into effect on April 1, 2026. The changes affect two specific aspects: the maximum net weight permitted for domestic road transport, which is adjusted to ensure compliance with local and European legislation, and the availability of special equipment, whose reservation acceptance is subject to approval based on actual available stock.
Air freight in Europe is also affected by the situation in the Middle East. Several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq, have announced the temporary suspension of their airspaces, which has forced airlines to cancel or divert flights transit through the region. Maersk warns that the impact on seaports and ocean operations may contribute to an extension of delivery times, particularly in the volumes of sea-air cargo connecting via the affected logistics centers. Ground operations at airports and cargo terminals may also be affected by local restrictions or shortages of personnel at certain points.
In the area of customs and trade regulation, Maersk dedicates a relevant part of its report to the progress of the Interim Trade Agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. The shipping company reports that Uruguay and Argentina have completed their respective ratification processes and that the European Commission has confirmed its intention to proceed with the provisional application of the agreement once Brazil and Paraguay complete theirs. When it comes into effect, European commercial operators will have access to preferential tariff rates in the exchanges of goods with Mercosur countries, with a progressive elimination of approximately 90% of tariffs and the introduction of duty-free quotas for certain agricultural products. However, the full implementation of the agreement is pending a review by the Court of Justice of the European Union scheduled for this year, following the legality challenge filed by the European Parliament, which keeps a degree of legal uncertainty in the short term. Maersk recommends that companies review the classifications of their products to identify where tariff reductions apply, evaluate whether their goods meet the preferential origin rules of the new agreement, and prepare their internal teams for changes in duty rates and quota management.
In the United Kingdom, the customs authority HMRC has introduced improvements in its customs data service that affect importers and exporters. Reports are now based on the dispatch date instead of the acceptance date, allowing companies to better align customs information with the actual movement of goods. Starting April 1, the service will also incorporate information regarding the EORI of Northern Ireland, which will improve the visibility of shipments linked to this jurisdiction.
In the e-commerce segment, Maersk notes that its teams are focusing their attention on the growing role of carrier connectors as a tool for integrating multi-operator last mile solutions. These connectors function as standardized bridges between e-commerce platforms, warehouse management systems, and carriers, enabling the generation of labels, tracking shipments, managing returns, and accessing out-of-home delivery options through pre-configured application programming interfaces (APIs). The shipping company indicates that it is developing strategic alliances with connector platforms and that it continues to support further integrations at the request of its clients.