News / No sign of promised improved wait times for European barge operators

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Congestion along northern Europe’s inland waterways is proving erratic as we enter the third week of 2022, with bright spots possibly a “mirage”.

Contargo has recorded two successive weeks of declining wait times – a December high of 75 hours now down to 56 hours – but one source told The Loadstar they had seen no change in load and unload times.

“We are in a fixed contract with a top-five carrier, repositioning empties in Rotterdam and other Dutch inland terminals,” said ...