Over the last couple of days, The Netherlands has experienced significant winter weather, with snow and icy conditions spreading across much of the country. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) issued weather warnings, including code orange in various provinces, anticipating several centimeters of snow and widespread ice on roads and infrastructure, which create hazardous conditions for travel and transport.
The Port of Rotterdam has continued to operate despite the snow; however, winter conditions have caused some delays. Road and rail access to terminals has been affected as trucks and other traffic struggle with winter conditions and snow accumulation. Several container terminals temporarily paused operations in the morning of 5 January 2026 to clear snow before resuming later in the day. On 6 January the Dutch rail authorities announced a general suspension of rail operations with limited operations being resumed from 10:00.
Port operations continue but at a slower pace. For some vessels, departures may be delayed when visibility is poor or when pilotage services need to ensure safe transit out of the port area.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority provides real-time operational and meteorological information through its Weather & Tide Portal. This platform offers up-to-date insight into weather conditions and forecasts, visibility and wind information, water levels and tidal data, as well as operational alerts relevant to port users. For shipowners, agents and masters, the portal is particularly valuable during winter conditions, as it supports voyage planning, berthing decisions and departure timing, especially when visibility is reduced or wind conditions deteriorate.
For any questions or assistance related to navigating Dutch ports or with cargo operations during these winter conditions, NNPC Correspondents are available around the clock. Please contact us at correspondents@nnpc-correspondents.nl or call +31(0)85 483 31 21 for support.