By Abbas Nazil
June 2025 marked a turning point for the global maritime industry, as it contended with soaring port congestion, rising geopolitical tensions, increased safety risks, and an accelerating shift toward digital and automated solutions.
These mounting pressures stretched global supply chains and forced major ports and shipping stakeholders to adapt rapidly in a bid to maintain resilience and protect the flow of goods.
Port congestion reached unprecedented levels during the month, with vessel delays increasing by as much as 300 per cent across major container hubs.
Northern European ports such as Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, and Bremerhaven experienced their worst operational gridlocks since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Tradlinx data, 96 per cent of major global container ports faced operational disruptions, with wait times at some ports—like Singapore, Cape Town, and Ningbo-Zhoushan—exceeding 10 days.
The congestion was compounded by labour strikes, extreme weather events, ageing infrastructure, and persistent mismatches in global supply and demand.
Complicating matters further, global trade flows remained vulnerable to escalating geopolitical tensions.
Ongoing friction between Iran and Israel contributed to growing uncertainty around vital shipping chokepoints, particularly the Strait of Hormuz.
Persistent GPS jamming in the region has led to hundreds of reported incidents, heightening navigational risks and reinforcing concerns about the fragility of critical maritime corridors.
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In a separate security incident, a fire erupted aboard the Singapore-flagged Wan Hai 503 off the coast of India on 9 June.
The vessel was safely towed offshore by Indian authorities to contain the blaze and prevent environmental fallout.
Amid these disruptions, trade negotiations between the United States and China made tentative progress.
Officials from both countries, meeting in London, proposed a framework to address longstanding trade disputes, including issues related to rare earth exports and semiconductor design restrictions.
However, the deal still requires approval from both governments, with a looming deadline of 10 August to avert the reimposition of tariffs.
To mitigate these challenges, the industry has intensified investments in digitalization and automation.
Maersk introduced its AI-powered Trade & Tariff Studio, which automates customs and tariff management, providing real-time updates and compliance solutions for cargo owners.
In Europe, the Port of Rijeka in Croatia partnered with CONROO to roll out a smartphone-based digital truck appointment system to streamline gate operations and cut down on paperwork.
Meanwhile, the UK’s Thames Freeport witnessed a significant upgrade with the launch of one of Europe’s largest private 5G networks by Verizon Business and Nokia, connecting major logistics hubs like DP World London Gateway and Port of Tilbury.
As June came to a close, industry experts stressed that the future of maritime logistics will depend heavily on how effectively stakeholders integrate technology, manage geopolitical threats, and build long-term supply chain resilience.
With congestion and conflict reshaping global shipping, innovation and coordination have become more essential than ever.
