Our No 1 port is keeping vital supplies flowing
FELIXSTOWE, the UK’s number one container port, is working hard to keep cargo flowing and save Christmas. The situation on import cargo flows has improved over the last three weeks and while the port is busy the supply chain is coping and expected to do so over the coming weeks.
Our staff are working hard to ensure ships are being unloaded and the containers – many full of festive goods – are moved inland by road and rail to warehouses and retail outlets for customers to purchase for Christmas. The well publicised shortage of truck drivers this year and the pre-Christmas increase in import cargo flows has resulted in containers leaving the port at a slower rate than new ones arriving by vessels.
This has created a situation where we have seen a large build-up in the port. To minimise the impact of these high stock levels we have been working closely with the Government, big retailers and hauliers along with the shipping lines and rail companies to optimise the use of scarce resources to move out containers as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We saw this situation building up several weeks ago and quickly put an action plan in place to create 50 per cent more storage for containers coming into the UK and this has enabled us to manage the situation and keep goods flowing for Christmas.
While supply chains are under extreme pressure, we are all working closely together. And thanks to the hard work of our staff, the port, which handles 40 per cent of all UK containers, is playing its part in keeping cargo flowing for the festive period.