This time last year, Europe's main container ports were in a mess. Congestion reigned - at the berths, the port gates and container yards. Main-line ships were delayed early in their European port itineraries, generating a snowball effect, with feeder ships facing delays averaging two days per round-trip. That effectively reduced ship productivity by 30%, according to Erik Petersen, sales and marketing manager for Unifeeder, Europe's largest feeder operator. Sky-high cargo volumes, particularly from China, were recognised as the major cause of last year's shambles. Shipping lines and port and terminal operators tried to squeeze the spike in demand from July to November into a port capacity pot that was just not big enough.
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