In its issue 731, Sea-Intelligence Sunday Spotlight reported on the consequences of the 2025 carrier alliance reshuffle for Europe’s leading container ports.
According to the analysis, with the new service networks in full effect as of July 2025, the Asia-Europe trade lane has seen a notable concentration of market power in Hamburg and Valencia, while Antwerp and Tangier recorded losses.
The study measured the average monthly nominal vessel capacity in TEU directed to each major European port during May–July 2025, compared with the 2024 full-year baseline.
The figures reflect vessels’ theoretical maximum capacity, serving as a proxy for market size and deployed assets rather than actual cargo volumes.
Hamburg recorded the largest gain, adding approximately 169,000 TEU in average monthly nominal capacity, supported by increased call frequency and larger vessels.
Valencia rose by more than 78,000 TEU per month, strengthening its role in the Mediterranean.
By contrast, Antwerp lost around 138,000 TEU, while Tangier declined by 122,000 TEU.
Rotterdam retained its position as Europe’s leading gateway port, described in the analysis as “in a league of its own.”
Sea-Intelligence is a privately held maritime data and analytics provider based in Denmark. The company specializes in performance monitoring, supply chain forecasting, and strategic analysis for the global container shipping industry.