Several major European ports are experiencing significant congestion due to a surge in Chinese exports, driven in part by rising demand for cooling appliances amid persistent heatwaves across the continent. Industry representatives and customs officials report that logistical bottlenecks at European entry points have become more pronounced in recent months, challenging both sea and rail transport networks.

Chinese customs data indicates that exports to the European Union increased by 18.5% year-on-year in June, more than doubling the previous month’s growth rate. Air conditioners led the surge in shipments, with sales to the EU rising 43.2% in the first half of 2026, reaching a record US$3.76 billion. The broader category of cooling appliances—including fans and refrigerators—totaled nearly 108 billion yuan (approximately US$16 billion), reflecting strong global demand amid extreme summer weather, according to Wang Jun, vice-minister of the General Administration of Customs.

This export boom has contributed to worsening congestion not only in Chinese departure ports but now increasingly within European ports of entry. Terminals at Rotterdam, Europe’s largest container port, halted operations intermittently in late June due to overheating equipment and safety concerns for workers amid temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Similar disruptions occurred at Antwerp, where a pilots’ strike led to delayed vessel entry and a backlog of ships waiting in the North Sea, compounding regional delays.

Rail transport, traditionally a faster alternative to sea freight, is also under strain. While rail transit from China to Europe generally takes 15 to 24 days—compared to 40 to 55 days by sea—capacity constraints and imbalances in container loads present challenges. For every eight fully loaded trains departing China, only one returns loaded from Europe, creating a shortage of containers and railcars on the return leg. This has exacerbated operational difficulties at key hubs such as Malaszewicze in Poland, where transloading capacity and border inspection bottlenecks limit throughput.

Freight forwarders report that these delays have forced some customers to reconsider shipment methods. Heng Yao, a Chinese researcher relocating to Germany, opted against shipping an air conditioner by sea due to lengthy transit times that would have rendered the appliance obsolete for summer use. Chinese manufacturer Midea has increasingly utilized rail and relay trucking services to meet demand, noting that rail deliveries from Wuhu to France can take as little as 22 days.

Despite the logistical hurdles, market observers anticipate that demand will remain robust through the third quarter, driven by seasonal restocking ahead of the holiday period. Hao Panfeng, secretary general of the China Container Industry Association, attributed about half of the congestion to soaring cargo volumes, with infrastructure limitations accounting for the remainder. He expects only a slight decline in volumes in the final quarter of the year and projects total annual freight to match or exceed last year’s record figures.