January 29th, 2026 – Gale-force winds and rough seas across southwestern Europe have forced container terminals at key West Mediterranean hubs, including Tanger-Med and Algeciras, to suspend operations.
A powerful Atlantic storm swept into the region earlier this week and is forecast to strengthen over the coming days before moving north. Gale warnings have been issued for the Bay of Biscay and the UK as conditions deteriorate.
Maersk advised customers on Wednesday that terminals in the West Mediterranean have halted operations with no clear timeline for when activity will resume, noting that weather conditions are expected to worsen. The carrier said the disruption is impacting the entire industry and warned that ongoing delays and closures are likely to affect vessels and terminals across the region.
Along the Atlantic coast and through the Strait of Gibraltar, waves reaching up to seven meters have also brought ferry traffic between Tangier and southern Spain to a standstill. Logistics providers report a growing backlog of cargo trucks at Algeciras as the disruption continues.
Weather disruptions in Northern Europe
Northern Europe is also dealing with widespread weather-related disruptions after a series of severe winter storms in January. Extreme conditions have affected terminal operations in major ports including Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Antwerp.
Operations at Hamburg remain heavily disrupted, with truck congestion building at the CTA and CTB terminals. With low temperatures expected to persist through the week, transport conditions are not anticipated to improve in the near term.
In Poland, freezing temperatures, snow, and ice are creating additional challenges at Maersk’s hub in Gdansk. Maersk reported that frozen equipment, combined with hazardous road and rail conditions, is limiting cargo deliveries and collections. Truck slots are fully booked, trains are running late or being canceled, and waterside operations are constrained as heavy snowfall and frozen equipment reduce container handling productivity.
