Welcome back.
What changes in the Netherlands?
From July 1, 2026, trucks must be equipped with an on-board unit (OBU) to track kilometers driven on highways and select provincial and municipal roads. The pricing model follows the "polluter pays" principle: cleaner and lighter vehicles will be charged a lower rate per kilometer.
With the introduction of the levy:
International context & electric vehicles
While the levy is expected to accelerate the transition to electric transport, the Dutch incentive structure differs from neighboring countries.
Other European toll updates
Container spot freight rates on the Asia-Europe trade lanes are continuing their upward march. While other trades are seeing a cooling off, the Asia-Europe route is showing resilience and strength.
Current trends
The Drewry rate index recorded a solid week-on-week gain of 5% on the Shanghai-Rotterdam leg. The increase is even stronger on the Mediterranean route, where rates jumped by 13%, breaking through psychological barriers not seen since August.
Drivers of growth
This upward trend is being driven by a mix of carrier actions and strong seasonal demand:
Expectations
Expect rates to keep climbing on the Asia-Europe trade. Forecasts point to double-digit increases for both North Europe and the Mediterranean. Reflecting this strong demand, carriers are introducing Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) in late December. While the US trade is softening, the European market remains on a strong upward trend. (The Loadstar)
As highlighted in our previous updates, the customs authority at the Port of Rotterdam is moving forward with significant changes to its container inspection protocols. This change was planned for H1 of 2026 but is now moved to H2 of 2026. The notification window for selected inspections will be reduced from the current 72 hours to just 24 hours.
While earlier reports suggested a start date of January 1st, Customs authorities have now clarified that this change is expected to be implemented in the second half of 2026. (Nieuwsblad Transport)
The security rationale
The primary driver for this tighter window is the fight against drug trafficking. The current 72-hour notification period inadvertently gives criminal networks sufficient time to organize "extraction teams" (uithalers) to retrieve contraband from containers before authorities intervene. By shrinking this window to 24 hours, Customs authorities aim to disrupt these operations and make the port less accessible to criminal activity.
Impact on logistics
This change presents a significant planning challenge.
Looking ahead: "Sweet after Sour"
Customs Director Peter van Buijtenen acknowledges the friction this causes for legitimate trade but emphasizes that security is paramount. However, they are also working on a long-term solution to balance this impact: a system where containers are scanned immediately upon unloading and released within three hours. While this "scan-direct" vision is still under investigation, the 24-hour notification rule is the first concrete step confirmed for late 2026. (Nieuwsblad Transport)
The Ocean Alliance (specifically CMA CGM) has announced it will resume Suez Canal transits for select backhaul services to Asia. The first vessel, the APL Merlion, is scheduled to reach the canal in early January.
Testing the waters
Carriers are using these "return legs" (Europe to Asia) to test the stability of the route. This is a strategic choice: backhaul voyages typically carry lower-value cargo than the headhaul to Europe, reducing financial risk. Additionally, CMA CGM benefits from French naval escorts, which mitigates the security threat. (The Loadstar)
Impact on logistics
The insurance hurdle
Despite these first steps and recent truce developments, a full-scale return for the entire industry is not yet to be expected. Insurers emphasize that "hard evidence" of safety is needed first. They require 60 to 90 days of incident-free stability before significantly lowering war risk premiums, which can currently run as high as 1% of a ship's value per transit. (The Loadstar)
