Corporate Moving update – February 2026
International relocations across Europe are facing short-term operational disruption driven by major events, regulatory changes and severe weather impacts. Recent developments in Italy, the UK and Portugal require careful planning for organisations with moves scheduled in the coming weeks, particularly where local access restrictions and infrastructure constraints affect service delivery.
Olympic restrictions in Milan and surrounding areas
As the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics continue, extensive access restrictions will be in place across Milan and parts of the wider metropolitan area. The Olympic Winter Games take place from 06th to 22nd February, followed by the Paralympic Winter Games from 6th to 15th March. During this period, traffic controls and restricted zones will affect local transport movements, collections and deliveries, and overall scheduling.
Within Milan, three designated red zones will be enforced around the Sempione area, the Olympic Village and Santa Giulia. Each zone covers a defined group of streets and surrounding infrastructure, limiting vehicle access and parking. These restrictions are expected to increase journey times and reduce flexibility for household goods movements.
Additional controls apply outside the city. Red zones will also be active in Rho around the Ice Park Fiera and in Assago near the Forum area, with multiple streets subject to access limitations. These measures will place added pressure on regional transport routes during peak event days.
Public offices have been advised to implement smart working arrangements on the same day, which is expected to further affect traffic flow and service availability. Santa Fe teams are proactively informing clients with relocations scheduled during this period, coordinating alternative routing with transport partners and adjusting delivery plans where required.
New maritime safety and reporting rules
From 01st January 2026, new International Maritime Organization rules are in force under updated SOLAS and MARPOL conventions. Shipping lines are now required to formally report any lost containers, with details shared with nearby vessels, coastal authorities and flag states before being passed to the IMO.
These measures are intended to reduce safety, environmental and operational risks associated with container losses, following recent incidents during severe weather. For corporate relocations, the new requirements may result in more formalised incident handling, additional checks and increased administrative oversight where disruptions occur at sea.
Severe weather disruption in Portugal
Recent storms across Portugal have caused disruption in several regions, including power and communications outages, blocked roads and infrastructure damage. Access restrictions and utility disruption have affected response times in areas such as Leiria, while strong winds have intermittently impacted container loading and unloading activities and led to some air cargo rescheduling.
Rail connections serving the ports of Leixões and Lisbon have also been affected, influencing both rail and maritime cargo operations. Local moving partners report that operations have continued through close coordination with authorities, shipping lines and logistics partners, with preventive measures in place should conditions deteriorate further. Clients with shipments to or from affected regions may experience temporary delays as conditions stabilise and infrastructure access is restored.
Strategic guidance for organisations
Organisations planning international relocations in the coming weeks should take a proactive approach to operational planning. Where moves intersect with the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics period, early scheduling is essential to account for access restrictions, traffic controls and reduced flexibility across Milan and surrounding areas. Allowing additional time for collections and deliveries will help manage congestion and reduce the risk of disruption.
Recent weather-related events underline the importance of contingency planning. Flexibility in routing and timing can help limit the impact of temporary access restrictions, infrastructure damage or transport delays as local conditions improve.
Regulatory changes affecting maritime operations reinforce the need for accurate documentation and close coordination with relocation partners. Clear communication allows potential risks to be identified earlier, alternative options to be assessed and client expectations to be managed throughout the relocation process.
At Santa Fe Relocation, we continue to monitor global shipping markets, policy changes and industry developments to support our clients with timely insight and practical guidance.
Henk Schutte
Global Move Supply Chain Manager
Santa Fe Relocation
henk.schutte@santaferelo.com
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