Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer: Causes, Country-by-Country Analysis, and Transport Alternatives

Paula

Why logistics slows down when the sun comes out, and how to keep your cargo moving

Every summer, logistics companies across Europe face the same frustrating phenomenon: a shortage of available trucks. This issue, commonly referred to as Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer, disrupts supply chains and challenges logistics planners across the continent. From June to early October, it becomes increasingly difficult to find road transport, especially from the Benelux region (Netherlands and Belgium) to Spain and Portugal. The root causes? A perfect storm of seasonal trade imbalance, driver holidays, and the end of the fruit and vegetable export season in Southern Europe.

This blog breaks down the economic dynamics behind Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer, country by country, and proposes alternative modes of transport that can help mitigate the impact of this seasonal slowdown.

1. The Root of the Problem: Seasonal Trade Imbalance

Spain and Portugal

During the spring and early summer months, Spain and Portugal are major exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables to Northern Europe. Trucks flow north packed with oranges, tomatoes, peppers, and more. However, by mid-June, this export season ends. With no produce to carry, trucking companies based in Spain and Portugal often send their trucks north empty to the Netherlands and Belgium, where they can secure loads for the return journey. However, the cost of the empty leg is rarely offset by the profit of a full truckload from the Benelux back to Southern Europe, making the roundtrip economically unattractive.

Netherlands and Belgium (Benelux)

Meanwhile, the Benelux countries rely on road freight to supply goods to the Iberian Peninsula. But when outbound transport from Spain dries up, those trucks can’t get back. The result? A bottleneck. Companies in the Netherlands and Belgium struggle to find trucking capacity to deliver their goods to Spain and Portugal, especially as many drivers also take their summer holidays during this period.

2. Country-by-Country Trade Flows and Logistics Impact

To understand why logistics is so heavily affected during the summer, it’s essential to look at the broader economic activities of the countries involved. Each of these nations plays a specific role in the European supply chain, shaped by their imports, exports, industrial strengths, and seasonal variations. Below is a breakdown of Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium to highlight how their trade profiles influence freight availability and truck shortages.

Spain

• Exports (Spring-Summer): Fresh produce, wine, industrial parts.
• Imports (Summer): Consumer goods, electronics, machinery.
• Impact: Loss of northbound fruit exports reduces southbound trucking availability.

Portugal

• Exports: Wine, textiles, auto parts.
• Imports: Foodstuffs, electronics, consumer goods.
• Impact: Similar to Spain, truck shortages worsen in regions far from main industrial centers.

Netherlands

• Exports: Machinery, chemicals, high-value electronics.
• Imports: Fresh produce, textiles, automotive products.
• Impact: Unable to send goods south due to lack of return options from Spain.

Belgium

• Exports: Pharmaceuticals, beer, steel products.
• Imports: Agricultural products, auto parts.
• Impact: Same truck imbalance as the Netherlands, worsened by port congestion.

3. Road Transport Mitigation Strategies

In order to mitigate truck shortages effects, there are some options that could work. However, all of them come with certain disadvantages.

• Partner with New Spanish Road Transport Companies: Engaging new carriers can expand availability during summer months. However, most of these partnerships come with a caveat: they often expect consistent loads during the winter as well, when truck availability on our end is not a problem. This makes long-term collaboration tricky unless volume commitments can be guaranteed year-round.
  
• Lease or Rent Trucks for Summer Peaks: A flexible approach that allows logistics companies to scale up truck availability only during high-demand periods. While this can ease shortages, it also adds operational complexity and requires temporary driver staffing. However, could be a bit risky due to the limited time rental.
  
• Collaborate with French Transport Companies: By working with transport firms based in France—strategically located between the Benelux and the Iberian Peninsula—it’s possible to tap into a hybrid network. These companies may have more balanced flows and availability to serve both directions more efficiently.

These measures don’t completely solve the Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer, but they can soften its impact and increase resilience when planned ahead.

4. Alternative Transport Modes to Mitigate the Shortage

However, despite the previous options, the real and best solution is to combine multimodal transport. When trucks are unavailable, logistics companies must look for alternative solutions that integrate different modes to ensure continuity. Here are the main alternatives, each with its pros and cons:

A. Short Sea Shipping

• Route: Port of Rotterdam → Bilbao / Valencia / Barcelona.
• Pros: Cheaper per ton, sustainable, avoids driver shortages.
• Cons: Longer transit time, frequent delays due to weather, port congestion.
• Best For: Non-urgent cargo, FMCG, large volumes.

B. Rail Transport

• Route Examples: Rotterdam → Perpignan / Barcelona / Madrid.
• Pros: Lower emissions, cost comparable to road, reliable schedules.
• Cons: Slightly longer transit times, limited flexibility, infrastructure constraints.
• Best For: Palletized goods, electronics, textiles.

C. Air Freight

• Route: Amsterdam or Brussels → Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon.
• Pros: Fastest option, ideal for time-sensitive goods.
• Cons: Most expensive, calculated by weight and volume.
• Best For: Pharmaceuticals, high-value electronics, urgent shipments.

5. Special Focus: Why Rail Transport Is the Ideal Solution

Among all the multimodal options, rail transport stands out as the most suitable economic and reliable solution to address summer truck shortages. On top of its lower emissions and stable costs, it becomes even more powerful when combined with huckepack containers — a transport method in which trucks or trailers can be loaded directly onto trains. This integration offers multiple advantages:

• Greater Efficiency: Reduces the number of transshipments and handovers.
• Lower Dependency: Minimizes reliance on driver availability during peak holiday seasons.
• Streamlined Logistics: Fewer parties involved in the transport chain, resulting in smoother coordination.

At Portex, this is not just a recommendation — it’s our specialty and a targeted answer to Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer. We offer optimized rail and huckepack services designed to provide dependable freight solutions between the Benelux and the Iberian Peninsula.

If you would like to know how to arrange your transport by rail you can check up more info here, on the other hand if you can also contact us here.

6. Conclusion: A Call for Smarter Summer Planning

Truck Shortages in Europe During Summer aren’t a fluke — they’re a recurring pattern caused by well-known seasonal trade dynamics. For logistics planners, the key to navigating this season is to anticipate the imbalance and explore multimodal solutions early.

At Portex, we monitor these shifts continuously and offer tailored multimodal strategies, ensuring that your cargo keeps moving even when the roads seem empty.

Ready to plan smarter this summer? Reach out to Portex and explore our road, rail, and sea solutions tailored to your routes and cargo needs.