Longer voyages mean bunched arrivals, and Europe's two biggest ports are feeling it at the same time. Waiting times for container ships at Rotterdam rose to an average of three days last week, and Antwerp is now reporting similar delays as vessels diverted around the Cape of Good Hope arrive in clusters rather than on schedule. Northgate Shipping, one of the largest carriers on the route, said it would skip two scheduled calls at Antwerp to protect its Asian departures. The decision will leave some importers waiting an additional week for goods already in Europe. The European Commission said it was monitoring the situation. Trade commissioner Anders Lindqvist has proposed a temporary relaxation of customs cut-off times to keep cargo moving through the ports.Port congestion in Rotterdam spreads to Antwerp as carriers reroute around the Gulf
