European port congestion picked up over the past week especially in Rotterdam where the number of vessels waiting at anchorage rising very quickly while yard capacity utilization has reached critical levels. Barge traffic has been affected by low water on the Rhine as well as diversions from UK to avoid the Felixstowe port strike. This is relieving congestion at ports further downstream, with German ports seeing a slight reduction in the vessel queues. There were no material change in the numb