MARKET UPDATE
UK & International
quarter TWO 2026
Market Summary update
Q2 2026 Report
This Q2 2026 report from Kukla Beverage Logistics covers the main developments across road, sea, rail and air freight and what they meant in practice for beverage supply chains moving into and across the UK.
OVERVIEW
Improving reliability, but operational pressure remained
Q2 brought some improvement in freight reliability, particularly across ocean services, but the quarter was far from straightforward.
Port congestion, rail infrastructure, fuel volatility, and disruption linked to the Middle East continued to affect transport planning. As the quarter progressed, weather also became a bigger factor, shifting from adverse sailing conditions earlier in Q2 to extreme heat across parts of Europe by the end of June.
For beverage shippers, capacity was generally available across the main transport modes. The greater challenge was keeping the movement on plan when congestion, infrastructure or weather reduced the time available to recover.
This kept the focus firmly on realistic lead times, flexible routing, and ensuring shipments were ready to move when transport was available.
Market signals
- Road freight remained exposed to fuel volatility, driver availability and local network constraints.
- Ocean schedule reliability improved, although port congestion and equipment availability still affected end-to-end performance.
- Rail continued to be shaped by terminal congestion, infrastructure works and limited recovery options.
- Air cargo demand strengthened through the quarter, while some routings remained sensitive to Middle East disruption.
- Weather became more important operationally as Q2 progressed, particularly for temperature-sensitive beverage cargo.
- Customs, excise and freight security remained central to the planning of bonded and high-value movements.
Road Freight
Available capacity, but limited recovery when schedules slipped
Road freight remained central to European beverage logistics throughout Q2, particularly on the established Italy–UK, Spain–UK and France–UK lanes, as well as for onward delivery into bonded warehouses, retail networks and hospitality supply chains.
Fuel volatility and driver availability continued to affect planning during the quarter. Capacity was generally available, but there was not always much room to recover when a collection, ferry connection or delivery slot was missed.
For beverage movements, this mattered most where the load was tied to a fixed warehouse appointment or formed part of a bonded movement. Once a schedule started to slip, the options for recovering the original delivery plan could narrow quickly.
Weather added another factor towards the end of Q2. High temperatures across parts of western and central Europe increased the need to consider timings and route conditions more carefully, particularly where wines or other temperature-sensitive products were involved.
Documentation remained just as important. For mixed or bonded loads, getting the customs and excise position right before collection gave the operation the best chance of recovering when the transport plan changed.
Container port congestion should continue to be treated separately from trailer-based European road freight. Congestion at LoLo ports did not directly affect RoRo trailer movements, although it could place indirect pressure on vehicle availability, container haulage and wider network recovery.
Sources: IRU European road transport market information; Kukla Beverage Logistics Information Updates, April–June 2026.
Rail Freight
Infrastructure remained the deciding factor
Rail continued to play an important role in multimodal beverage movements during Q2, particularly across structured UK–Europe flows.
Infrastructure remained the main issue, not demand.
Italy was a recurring pressure point throughout the quarter. April brought backlogs following Easter timetable reductions, infrastructure works and delayed inbound services, with high utilisation reported at several important terminals.
Those pressures carried into May and June, with public holidays, industrial action and equipment availability affecting parts of the Italian network.
Elsewhere, engineering works restricted capacity on strategic European corridors, including around Karlsruhe in Germany during June.
Rail remained a useful option for beverage movements, but where delivery timing was fixed, additional lead time and a workable alternative route were still important. This was particularly relevant on multimodal flows. A delay on the rail leg can quickly affect the onward road movement, so both parts of the journey need to be planned together.
Sources: DB InfraGO; Kukla Beverage Logistics Information Updates, April–June 2026.
aiR Freight
Stronger demand, with routing still sensitive to disruption
Global air cargo demand strengthened as Q2 progressed, with IATA reporting year-on-year growth of 4.0% in April, 6.0% in May and 8.5% in June.
Capacity also improved during the quarter, although Middle Eastern networks remained more sensitive to regional disruption.
Within beverage logistics, air freight remained a specialist rather than primary mode. It continued to have a useful role for samples, launches, promotional stock and urgent high-value shipments where the delivery date justified the use of air.
In these cases, headline transit time is only one consideration. Flight availability, routing, airport handling, and customs clearance all need to work together to meet the planned delivery.
When Middle Eastern airspace or airline networks were disrupted, additional routing and planning were required, particularly for movements with little tolerance for delay.
Sources: IATA Air Cargo Market Analysis, April–June 2026.
Sea Freight
Better schedule reliability, but the full movement still mattered
Ocean schedule reliability improved during Q2, reaching 62.4% in April, 64.7% in May and 62.6% in June.
May was the strongest month of 2026 so far, although the drop in June showed carrier networks were still vulnerable to disruption. Late vessels were also continuing to arrive more than five days behind schedule on average.
For beverage importers, however, the vessel schedule is only part of the picture.
A vessel can arrive on time, but the container still has to be discharged, released, collected, and delivered into bond or to its final destination within the planned window. That remained one of the main operational challenges during Q2.
UK and European gateways
UK container ports continued to experience periods of pressure during the quarter.
London Gateway saw congestion and extended container collection times during April, with some vessels diverted to other UK gateways. At the same time, provisional Department for Transport figures show container activity increasing during Q2, with container tonnage up 9% year on year and container units up 12%.
For importers, higher throughput combined with periods of congestion meant close attention was still needed to discharge, container availability and collection planning.
Conditions across mainland Europe were also mixed. Rotterdam experienced tight terminal conditions during June, while Iberian services were disrupted at various points by weather in the Bay of Biscay, congestion along the Portuguese coast and maintenance affecting access to Bilbao.
These were not simply port issues. Once a container was delayed at the terminal, the effect could quickly move into the next stage of the supply chain, particularly where bonded warehouse slots, onward haulage or customer delivery windows had already been arranged.
Long-haul beverage trades
Long-haul import lanes also experienced pockets of disruption during Q2.
South African services saw periods of berthing delay associated with congestion, port productivity and weather. New Zealand experienced periods of restricted shipping-line space, while US services continued to see schedule changes and equipment availability shifts.
Middle East disruption also continued to influence global routing and equipment positioning.
The practical position for beverage importers remained much the same throughout the quarter: the ETA should be treated as one part of the movement rather than the end of the planning process. Where timing matters, discharge, container release and onward transport all need to be considered together.
Sources: Sea-Intelligence Global Liner Performance; Department for Transport Port Freight Quarterly Statistics; Maersk European Market Updates; Kukla Beverage Logistics Information Updates, April–June 2026.
Freight SECURITY
Security risk increases when the original plan changes
Freight security remained an important consideration during Q2, particularly for high-value wines and spirits.
TAPA EMEA recorded 1,340 new cargo theft incidents across 52 countries during April, with reported losses exceeding €41.9 million.
The relevance to beverage logistics is not simply the overall level of freight crime. Disruption itself can increase exposure.
A missed delivery slot, delayed collection or routing change can leave a vehicle stationary for longer than planned or require an alternative stop that was not part of the original journey.
This is why secure parking, controlled routing, carrier verification, seal management and reducing unnecessary dwell time need to form part of normal transport planning.
At Kukla, these controls are built into the movement from the outset rather than treated as a separate response after a problem occurs.
Source: TAPA EMEA, Vigilant market and security reporting, June 2026.
WEATHER AND TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT
Weather became a cargo issue as well as a transport issue
Weather became increasingly significant during Q2, but the nature of the disruption changed as the quarter progressed.
Earlier in the quarter, adverse conditions affected shipping through the Bay of Biscay and along the Portuguese coast, contributing to sailing delays and port congestion.
By late June, high temperatures across much of western and central Europe created a different set of operational considerations.
For beverage logistics, this is not simply about whether a truck, vessel or train is delayed.
For wine and other temperature-sensitive products, how long cargo remains stationary can be just as important. A container waiting at a port, a trailer held at a terminal or a delayed vehicle can expose the product to conditions for considerably longer than originally planned.
This makes expected dwell time an important part of route and equipment planning during warmer periods, particularly for movements from major wine-producing markets such as Italy, Spain and France.
The practical point is to consider cargo condition throughout the journey, not simply whether transport capacity is available.
Sources: Kukla Beverage Logistics Information Updates, April–June 2026; European weather reporting referenced in the Q2 review material.
CUSTOMS AND EXCISE
Good transport planning starts with the correct customs position
Customs and excise remain part of the movement itself when transporting beers, wines and spirits.
Commodity classification, alcoholic strength, origin, duty status, customs procedure and final destination can all affect how the goods need to move and what documentation is required.
This is especially important for bonded movements. When goods move under duty suspension, the correct customs and excise arrangements must be in place before collection, not after transport has started.
In normal operating conditions, an error can cause delay. When the wider freight network is already under pressure, the same error can mean a missed sailing, rail connection or warehouse appointment that is much harder to recover.
For beverage shippers, the requirement remains straightforward: confirm the procedure, complete the documentation and make sure the paperwork matches the physical movement before collection takes place.
When statutory customs or duty requirements change, those changes must be reviewed separately from the transport arrangements and reflected in the documentation before the goods move.
Sources: HM Revenue & Customs and GOV.UK customs and excise guidance.
BEVERAGE LOGISTICS
Keeping control when the original plan changes
The basic requirements of beverage logistics did not change during Q2, but the operating environment placed greater emphasis on preparation and recovery.
Documentation, load preparation, timing and cargo condition all become more important when the network has less room to recover.
Documentation
Customs and excise documentation should be complete before collection, particularly for bonded and mixed consignments.
Where a sailing, rail connection or delivery appointment is fixed, there may be very little time to correct an error once the movement is underway.
Load preparation
Stable palletisation, suitable wrapping and clear labelling remain fundamental.
When a shipment is delayed, rerouted or handled more frequently than originally planned, good load preparation gives the cargo greater protection through the rest of the journey.
Temperature
The warmer conditions seen towards the end of Q2 brought temperature exposure into sharper focus.
For sensitive wines, likely dwell time should be considered alongside the route and equipment selected. A technically suitable movement can still create unnecessary exposure if cargo is expected to spend extended periods stationary at a port, terminal or depot.
Timing and contingency
Early booking remains important, but the ability to recover is just as important as the original plan.
Using an appropriate carrier mix, retaining routing alternatives and agreeing realistic delivery windows gives more flexibility when a service changes or a connection is missed.
Recommendations for beverage shippers
In the current operating environment, good preparation remains the most effective way of protecting the movement.
Bookings should allow realistic lead times, particularly where a route is affected by congestion, infrastructure works or seasonal weather.
Confirm customs and excise requirements before collection, especially for bonded movements.
Pallets should be stable, correctly wrapped and clearly labelled for the level of handling expected during the journey.
For temperature-sensitive products, consider likely dwell time alongside the transport mode and route.
Where a delivery date is commercially important, plan the complete journey from origin to final delivery rather than as a series of separate transport legs.
Outlook for Q3 2026
Better headline conditions, but resilience will remain important
Q2 ended with improved ocean schedule reliability compared with the beginning of the year, but the wider freight network remains sensitive to disruption.
European road freight will continue to depend on driver availability, fuel conditions and local network performance. New tachograph and drivers’ hours requirements for certain cross-border light commercial vehicle operations also take effect from 1 July, adding another planning consideration for operators using this part of the market.
Ocean freight remains exposed to congestion, equipment positioning and short-notice carrier schedule changes at individual gateways.
Rail will continue to depend heavily on infrastructure availability and planned engineering works, while stronger air cargo demand may reduce flexibility where urgent space is required.
Weather will also remain important through the European summer. The conditions experienced towards the end of Q2 highlighted how quickly temperature can become both a transport issue and a cargo-quality consideration.
Geopolitical developments remain another variable, particularly where they affect shipping routes, airspace and equipment positioning.
For beverage logistics, the Q3 question is therefore not simply whether transport is available. It is whether the chosen route can deliver the cargo reliably, securely and within the requirements of the product being moved.
CONCLUSION
Experience matters most when the plan changes
Q2 showed that improved headline reliability does not necessarily make the supply chain straightforward.
Ocean schedules improved, but port and terminal conditions still affected the final delivery. Road freight remained dependent on network resilience and recovery capacity. Rail continued to be influenced by infrastructure, while air demand strengthened as the quarter progressed.
Weather, customs and excise requirements and freight security also remained part of the operational picture for beers, wines and spirits.
For our customers, the focus is therefore not simply on booking transport. It is on managing the complete movement and understanding where problems are most likely to occur before they affect the delivery.
We work across road, sea, rail, and air, using our broad carrier network and specialist beverage logistics experience to adapt when conditions change.
That means understanding the cargo, its customs and excise status, the route, the delivery requirements and the alternatives available if the original plan no longer works.
Our focus remains the same: keeping your goods moving safely, reliably and with the level of control that beverage supply chains demand.