The measures implemented in the Port of Rotterdam to improve barge processing are now slowly beginning to take effect, so that the situation is substantially less stressful compared with July and August. Although the situation has not yet returned to normal, from 1 October 2014 Contargo will no longer be levying a surcharge for assignments travelling by barge.

Since mid-April, barges of the Contargo fleet have had very long waits for processing at the seaport terminals in Rotterdam. Throughput times of 50 hours, peaking at up to 90 hours, were not unusual. The congestion surcharge enabled Contargo to finance a flexibilisation concept for processing in the seaport. If processing times should worsen again, the company reserves the right to re-introduce the surcharge.