The giant container ship that found itself in a global media spotlight for all the wrong reasons has finally reached the Dutch hub of Rotterdam.

The reopening of the US and European economies after last year’s COVID-19 lockdowns spurred a resurgence in the trans-Atlantic container trade as business activity in two of the world’s largest economies showed better than expected growth in May, with increases concentrated at US ports that have undergone major expansions.

Rising EU imports are placing growing pressure on the regional supply chain, but European businesses fear the COVID-19 Delta variant poses “a major risk” to the regional economic outlook.

As desperate shippers search for cargo solutions and sop up breakbulk capacity, the new MPV/HL sentiment index reveals strong short-term confidence but longer-term wariness in the breakbulk sector.